Background
Terry Ellis was born in Houston, Texas. She is the daughter of Lennie James Ellis and the former Evelyn Marie Patton.
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Terry Ellis
Edit ProfileEducation
Ellis graduated from Worthing High School of Houston in 1982.
Career
Ellis received a degree in Marketing from Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical University in 1990. She later joined the group En Vogue, which was originally planned to be a trio (a 1990s version of The Emotions), but the producers were so impressed by her voice, they made the group a quartet. In 1995 Ellis took time during the group"s hiatus to release her solo Civil Defense, Southern Gal which was released on November 14, 1995.
The Civil Defense included the moderate hits "Where Ever You Are" and "What Did I Do To You?".
She also contributed a track called "Call on me" for the Soundtrack for the Home Box Office Film "Disappearing Acts" with Wesley Snipes. She also released her own fragrance titled "Southern Exposure".
En Vogue lost original members Dawn Robinson in 1997 and again in 2005, and Maxine Jones in 2001 (they latter replaced by Amanda Cole and then Rhona Bennett) Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson have since returned to the group. In 2005, Ellis was featured in the Stevie Wonder music video "So What The Fuss" with her original En Vogue group members Dawn Robinson, Maxine Jones and Cindy Herron.
She also played one of Chanté Moore"s friends in the Music video "Chanté"s Got a Manitoba" in 1999.
Terry Ellis has a five-octave vocal range which was displayed in the En Vogue song, "Don"t Go". By her groupmates, Terry was credited as the member with the "ballad" type of voice. With En Vogue, she often shared leads, or lead the group songs that were funky, and soulful.
In group harmonies, Terry usually sings the alto arrangement, which is above Maxine Jones, but under Dawn Robinson, or Cindy Herron.
Membership
Ellis is best known as a founding member of the Rhythm & Blues/People’s vocal group En Vogue. With fellow group member Cindy Herron having taken a leave from the group around 2004-2005, Terry Ellis is the only original member of En Vogue to have never left the group at point in time.
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Born
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Nationality
United States