Real name: Dorothy McGriff

Effective period / Period of releases: 1967 - 1992

b : January 30, 1928 in Birmingham (USA)
d : April 9, 2002 in Birmingham (USA)
Coates rose to stardom in the 1950s as a member of The Original Gospel Harmonettes. With her "raggedy" voice and preacher's fire she could outsing the most powerful hard gospel male singers of the era. She was also a notable composer, writing songs such as "You Can't Hurry God (He's Right On Time)", "99 and a Half Won't Do" and "That's Enough".married to Willie Love (member of the Fairfield Four).
She's singing with Original Gospel Harmonettes in 1951 until 1971.
In 1960, she married Carl Coates (singer of the Sensational Nightingales).