Born on September 19, 1942, in Detroit, Michigan, to Frederick and Charsilee Payne, this talented artist attended both Palmer and Crossman Elementary Schools. In addition to her education, she engaged in modeling and studied ballet and Afro-Cuban dance.

In 1956, while at Hutchins Middle School, she showcased her singing talent on the nationally televised show Ted Mack's The Original Amateur Hour. Her early career included singing jingles and being featured on WJR radio's Make Way for Youth, along with various local television and radio programs.

Notably, her mother declined a contract from a then-unknown Berry Gordy. Upon graduating from Central High School in 1959, she toured with Pearl Bailey's musical review and performed with the Duke Ellington Band. Her debut album, After the Lights Go Down, was released in 1962 under ABC's Impulse Records.

In 1963, she moved to New York City, where she made appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Merv Griffin Show, and The Dick Cavette Show. The following year, she joined the Quincy Jones Tour alongside the Four Tops, Billy Eckstine, and Nipsey Russell. In 1967, she served as an understudy for Leslie Uggams in the Broadway production of Hallelujah Baby! and participated in the Equity Theatre production of Lost in the Stars.

Payne's career took a significant turn when she signed with Invictus Records in 1969, a label founded by her former Detroit associates Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Jr., and Lamont Dozier, all of whom had previously worked with Motown.

Her breakthrough single, "Band of Gold," was released in 1970, achieving remarkable success by reaching #1 in the U.K. and #3 in the U.S., marking her first gold record. Other notable hits from her repertoire include "Deeper and Deeper," "You Brought Me Joy," and the anti-war anthem "Bring the Boys Home." As her popularity grew, Payne appeared in various television specials and toured internationally, including performances in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan. Though she parted ways with Invictus in 1973, she has recorded a total of 21 albums, including several remakes of "Band of Gold."

In 1974, she gained recognition by appearing on the cover of Jet magazine after being honored as a Dame of Malta by the Knights of Malta and the Sovereign Military and Hospital Order of St. John of Jerusalem, a distinction granted by the Prince of Rumania. Between 1980 and 1981, she hosted the talk show Today's Black Woman, and in 1982, she joined the cast of Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies. Throughout the 1990s, she starred in productions such as Ain't Misbehavin' alongside Della Reese, The Blues in the Night, and Jelly's Last Jam with Gregory Hines and Savion Glover.

Payne's film credits include Private Obsession (1995), Sprung (1997), Ragdoll (1999), The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), and Fire and Ice (2001). Recently, she returned to her jazz roots by touring with Darlene Love in a critically acclaimed revue titled "Love and Payne." A fitness enthusiast, she resides in the Hollywood Hills and has a son from her 1976 marriage to Gregory Abbott. Notably, her sister, Scherrie Payne, is also a singer and was the last lead vocalist of The Supremes as well as a member of Glass House.

On April 28, 2005, Payne was interviewed by The HistoryMakers.