Denyce Graves, After the Low Notes (washingtonpost.com)
Far from the stage lights, this is the Denyce Graves the public never sees, a 40-year-old woman who has been battling four years of depression, turbulence and upheaval, all scrupulously kept out of the public eye. In 2000, when she began to undergo a series of debilitating physical and emotional crises, her vocal cords -- the ones that made her world famous -- began bleeding.
I have been a big fan of Denyce Graves ever since I first saw her on Sesame Street, of all places. I found it heartwarming to read about a woman who is not only blessed with a beautiful voice but also a strong character.