Vesta Williams

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Vesta Williams

Vesta Williams is an American R&B singer. She is sometimes credited by her full name, and sometimes simply by Vesta. She is known for her full four-octave voice range.

The daughter of a disc jockey, Williams began performing at an early age as a stand up comic and singer in high school. She eventually became a highly sought after studio singer with stints with Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, and Stephanie Mills. She scored her first record deal in 1986 with A&M records which released her first self entitled album Vesta.

Her second album in 1988, Vesta 4U, made her a household name among urban R&B fans with sultry quiet storm singles "Congratulations" and "Sweet Sweet Love". BET along with urban radio stations across the country helped to feed the frenzy created by these songs which had women across the country singing the lyrics to "Congratulations" on the tips of their tongues while in the car, at work, or home.

Even though her next several releases failed to match the commercial success of "Vesta 4U" she retains a loyal fan base who just cannot forget that sultry woman with the four-octave voice standing outside the church singing "Congratulations" as her lost love walks down the aisle to get married to another woman.