American actress, calypso singer and former Cotton Club dancer.

She began her career as a dancer in Harlem's Cotton Club before turning to singing. She started singing calypso, becoming the "Queen of Calypso" in Europe when she toured there. Muriel had three calypso style records released on the National label in 1945 with Sam Manning's Serenaders. Then the one known release, non-calypso, with "The Dixiaires" on Queen in 1946.

Gaines was married to Lee Gaines.