Sœur Sourire
Redmond was born in Richmond, Virginia, the youngest of three children. As a child she attended St. Elizabeth's Parochial School, where at the age of 6 she performed the song "Dominique," made famous by The Singing Nun. Later, she joined up with her brothers Jimbo and Jack in a band singing pop tunes. Redmond eventually attended Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) where she studied opera and voice while playing gigs at nights with the Jack Diamond band. As her career progressed, Redmond left VCU to sing with a series of bands and casino lounge acts during the 1980s. In addition to pop music, she performed jazz and blues tunes as well, developing a broad repertoire.