Cheryl Lynn

Cheryl Lynn (born Lynda Cheryl Smith; March 11, 1957) is an American singer. Lynn is best known for her songs during the late 1970s through the mid–1980s; including 1978's R&B/disco song, "Got to Be Real". Lynn's singing career began when she was a young girl with her church choir. However, her professional singing career started during 1976 when she obtained a job as a backing vocalist for the national touring company of the musical drama The Wiz. Eventually she would obtain the role of Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West, during the six-month national tour. Prior to her appearance in The Wiz, Cheryl taped an episode of The Gong Show during early 1976. She scored a perfect 30 singing Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful", a previous act (a singing juggler) had also scored 30 and in the audience applause tie-break the juggler was deemed the winner. After the episode was broadcast, during the autumn of 1976, record industry executives were calling to contract her.