Ben Vereen

A singer, dancer, and actor known for his dramatic performances in theater, Ben Vereen has performed on television, in films, and on stage. Born in Miami in 1946, Vereen credits most of his success to his mother. His father worked in a paint factory while his mother worked as a maid. His mother was born in Louisiana and would recount how the blues singers and jazz musicians would entertain the workers during lunch breaks on the plantation. His mother would sing the blues as she reminisced about the past, thus Ben Vereen's interest in music was born. His first performance was a...