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Tamela Mann has a powerful testimony. She and her husband, David, who starred with her on the Tyler Perry sitcom “Meet the Browns” came from impoverished childhoods in Texas to triumph in the entertainment industry. The couple, who has now been married for 24 years and have four children are now  spokespersons for the American Diabetes Association. They are hoping to influence other African-Americans to be healthier and to that end, they are planning to host a cooking show for Bounce TV that will focus on tasty and healthy food.

But while Tamela is experiencing a great deal of success in other areas, music has always been her first love. She is releasing her fifth CD “Best Days” next week. The lead single is “Take Me To The King,” written for Mann by her one of her musical mentors, Kirk Franklin.

Listen to “Take Me To the King” below.

“I want to present music that people can be blessed by and that can be healing,” Mann says in her official bio. “We have to put music out to keep people encouraged and keep lifting the body of Christ up, and even the ones that haven’t become Christians. We need to encourage them that the best thing that they could ever do is become a child of God.”

It was music that launched Mann’s career. She grew up singing in the church and after hearing her, Franklin recruited Tamela to be in his group, The Family, which would propel him to gospel superstardom. Tamela sang on all five of Kirk Franklin and the Family’s recordings. 

From there, she attracted the notice of Tyler Perry, who put her in his plays, movies, and then on “Meet the Browns,” a show that she fortunate to have been able to star in with her husband. Tamela is also in the reboot of the beloved 1976 movie “Sparkle” coming out next Friday. She plays Whitney Houston’s character’s best friend.  During an appearance on the Yolanda Adams Morning Show, Tamela said working with the legend was “really a wonderful, wonderful experience.”

Mann credits all of her success – in life, family and entertainment – to her strong faith. She says that while she is blessed, she is also humble because she realizes everyone has a unique purpose.

“I’m the youngest of fourteen, and out of all my mom’s kids, I’m the only one that finished high school,” Mann told ClaytonPerry.com in 2010. “We’re not even talking college. It’s just high school. And for God to choose me among all these people growing up and give me such a divine purpose in life, it’s just amazing. I feel like this other friend of mine is more talented than I am. But God saw fit to just use me for such a time as this, to reach so many people, because we’re reaching them differently.  Earlier, you said that when people think of ministry, they think of pastors. But we’re all ministers, because we all have a purpose. We have a calling to do things.”