She began singing at four years old with the youth choir of the West Point Baptist Church under the direction of Pete Williams. She would later perform with the Williams Singers. At 17 years old, she was singing with Robert Anderson and His Gospel Caravan with Elyse Yancey, Nellie Grace Daniels and Ora Lee Hopkins. She formed the Caravans in 1951 and remained with them until 1970 when she went solo.