Cheryl Pepsii Riley facts for kids

Cheryl Bridget "Pepsii" Riley, born on October 18, 1968, is an American singer and actress. She is well-known for her music from the late 1980s and early 1990s. Her most famous song is the 1988 R&B ballad "Thanks for My Child." Cheryl Pepsii Riley has also acted in many of Tyler Perry's stage plays. These include Madea's Class Reunion (2003) and Why Did I Get Married? (2006).

Life and Career Highlights

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Cheryl Bridget Riley was born in Brooklyn, NY. She was the first of two children for James Madison Riley and Lucia Viola Riley. Cheryl went to Clara Barton High School. After finishing school, she worked as a nurse. She cared for children with disabilities before starting her singing career.

Cheryl Riley began her music journey as the lead singer for a band called Stargaze. In 1982, the band released their song "You Can't Have It."

Rise to Music Fame

In November 1988, Cheryl Riley's song "Thanks for My Child" became a big hit. It reached the top of the US R&B chart. The song also made it to number 32 on the pop chart. The group Full Force wrote this special song. It was inspired by a member's experience with his wife's first pregnancy.

"Thanks for My Child" also reached number 75 on the UK Singles Chart in January 1989. The main song from her first album, Me, Myself and I, reached number 18 on the R&B charts in early 1989. Another song from that album, "Every Little Thing About You," reached number 55 on the R&B charts later that year.

Her second album, Chapters, was released next. It included the songs "How Can You Hurt The One You Love" and a new version of Aretha Franklin's 1968 hit "Ain't No Way." Her third album, All That!, was released by Reprise. This album featured the songs "Gimme" and "Guess I'm In Love."

Later Career and Acting Roles

After taking a break from the entertainment world, Cheryl Riley returned in the late 1990s. She appeared on songs like "I Love It" and "Look Around" from The Beatnuts' album A Musical Massacre.

Cheryl Riley also became a star in many gospel plays by famous playwright Tyler Perry. Some of these plays include Madea's Class Reunion, Madea Goes to Jail, Why Did I Get Married?, Laugh to Keep from Crying, Madea's Big Happy Family, and A Madea Christmas.

She also appeared in the movie versions of Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Madea's Big Happy Family. She starred in Tyler Perry's Madea Gets a Job (2012) and Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned (2014). Currently, she has a regular role in Tyler Perry's TV show House of Payne.

After being featured on the Diary of a Mad Black Woman soundtrack in 2005, Cheryl Riley released a new album. In 2006, she released Let Me Be Me, which was her first album in fourteen years. In 2015, she released another solo album called Still Believe.

Personal Life

Cheryl Riley has been married twice and has one child. She married David Jones in 1985, who was also in the band Stargaze. They divorced in 2000. In 2003, she married Mike Grace. They raised his son, John Grace, together. Cheryl Riley and Mike Grace divorced in 2011.

Music Albums

• 1988: Me, Myself And I (Reached No. 128 on Billboard 200, No. 9 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)
• 1991: Chapters (Reached No. 62 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)
• 1993: All That!
• 2006: Let Me Be Me
• 2015: Still Believe

Hit Songs

• "Thanks for My Child" (1988)
• "My Myself And I" (1988)
• "Every Little Thing About You" (1988)
• "How Can You Hurt The One You Love" (1991)
• "Ain't No Way" (1991)
• "Gimme" (1993)
• "Guess I'm in Love" (1993)
• "Good Lovin'" (1995)
• "Let Me Love You Boy" (Snatch featuring Cheryl Pepsii Riley) (2000)
• "He's a Hurricane" (James Day & U-Nam feat. Cheryl Pepsii Riley) (2018)