Linda Hart

Linda Hart (born July 5, 1950) is an American singer, musician, and actress, mainly appearing in musical theatre. Life and career Hart was born in Dallas, Texas, United States. As a child, Hart sang in her church choir; at age seven, she joined her father, the late Rev. Ralph L. Hart, (a preacher) and the rest of the family in The Harts, a weekly gospel television series. Her father and uncle, the Rev. Doyle Hart, visited Detroit in 1954 and cut a 45 of "Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down", later released by Ralph Hart and The Texas Musical Harts. Hart attended Los Angeles City College as a theatre major. During college, however, her family received a recording contract with Columbia Records; Hart joined them and moved to Nashville for the job. The group recorded several gospel albums, many nominated for Grammy Awards and one a winner. Solo work included appearances with The New Christy Minstrels as their only female leader, a stint on Johnny Cash's ABC television show, where she also served as a talent coordinator for an episode, and opening act performances for country musicians such as Hank Williams, Jr., Mel Tillis, Roy Clark, and The Oak Ridge Boys. She joined Bette Midler's backup troupe, the Staggering Harlettes, and later appeared in the Midler film and the television special of Gypsy: A Musical Fable in 1993, which also starred Midler. She costarred as Minnie Driver's mother in the film . Later career Hart's Broadway debut was in the 1987 revival of Cole Porter's Anything Goes; for this role, she won a 1988 Theatre World Award. Originally portraying Erma, she later played the role of Reno Sweeney. Subsequent roles included Sid Caesar & Company and originated the role of Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray.