Marva Hicks' early career was as a gospel singer in Petersburg, Virginia. After taking a trip to New York, Hicks was attracted to theater and later took acting classes in Washington, D.C. She recorded several demos, then cut "Looking Over My Shoulder" for Infinity in 1981. When the label folded, Hicks wound up singing in Lena Horne's Broadway show for nearly three years. During a London tour, Hicks met Stevie Wonder. She began touring with him in the mid-'80s and did background vocals on his LP Characters. She signed with Polydor in the late '80s and her debut LP, Marva Hicks, got decent critical notices in 1991. While it proved to be her only album, she went on to a successful career as an actress, and sang background with a number of artists, including Keb' Mo', the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Michael Jackson. Marva Hicks died on September 16, 2022 at the age of 47. ~ Ron Wynn, Rovi