Melinda Doolittle may have finished as the third place finalist on the sixth season of "American Idol," but prior to her appearance on "Idol", Doolittle worked as a professional back-up singer for Michael Mcdonald, Aaron Neville, BeBe, CeCe Winans, Alabama, Jonny Lang, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, and many others.

Doolittle was born in Brentwood, Tennessee on December 1, 1977, to Steve and Marguerite Duke Dolittle. She later graduated from Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1995. Although Melinda has been singing since the seventh grade, she did not begin her professional career until 1999 as a music major from Belmont University. Since college, Melinda's vocal instruction has been provided by her coach, Janet Kenyon.