 His sister was R&B/soul singer Fontella Bass.After graduating he worked as a school teacher but, after being laid off in 1981, moved to New York City and began working as a background singer on recording sessions, including Lester Bowie's 1982 album, "The One and Only" (ECM).In the late 1980s, he won several competitions on the "Showtime at the Apollo" television show, winning over the audience with a powerful rendition of "God Bless the Child."