A native of California, Coley was born in Berkley, Califonia in 1955 and raised in Oakland, California where he spent the bulk of his developmental years influenced equally by his upbringing in the African-American church and his vocalist mother's love for Gospel, classical and jazz music. His teenage years were filled with vocal and instrumental training in school bands and regional choirs, and by the time he entered college his talent as a singer and keyboardist was widely recognized. In 1977, Coley's unique musical presence earned him the opportunity to perform with the legendary Hawkins Family. As a singer with Edwin Hawkins and later a songwriter and musical director for Tramaine Hawkins, Coley began to establish a name for himself on a national level. Lead vocal appearances on several high profile albums with Hawkins family and with James Cleveland's Gospel Music Workshop of America led to Coley's solo debut, "Just Daryl", in 1985. The string of award nominations and chart-topping albums has never ceased. Daryl Coley has worked with some of the music industry's most talented artists such as Stevie Wonder, Ramsey Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Richard Smallwood, and Philip Bailey. He has recorded a landmark collection of more than 100 studio performances, yet his greatest impact in the Gospel marketplace has always been the strength of his live performances. On March 16, 2016, Coley died in hospice care surrounded by his family. He was 60 Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.