I recall, 2+ years ago, when it was rumored that Taraji P. Henson had been cast as Tammi Terrell in Universal’s James Brown biopic, "Get On Up," which starred Chadwick Boseman. Needless to say, that didn’t happen. It may have simply been wishful thinking by whomever started the rumor, especially given that there is indeed a slight resemblance between Taraji and Terrell (photo above). 

Skip ahead to earlier this year, when it was announced that "Vampire Diaries" star Kat Graham had been cast to play Terrell in an upcoming biopic of the late singer, from writer/producer/director/actress Maryam Myika Day, and produced by Robert Teitel, Rose Ganguzza and Hilary Shor.

Graham’s own Panthera Pictures production company will also produce.

“I immediately connected to Tammi and her story in many ways and have felt the incredible need to tell it… Tammi Terrell defined passion and soul itself… Getting lost in the music enabled her to override life’s punishments – for when she sang, she could use the hurt to create greatness and give the world hope that maybe they could overcome their pain as well,” Ms Graham said when the project was first announced.

Principal photography on the yet-to-be-titled feature film is set for 2016.

Now skip ahead again several months to today, with the announced that actress Tamala Jones is also producing a Tammi Terrell biopic, which will be based on the book, "My Sister Tommie – The Real Tammi Terrell," written by Terrell’s sister Ludie Montgomery, published in 2005.

The project, which Tamala Jones appears to be only producing (via her Foxy Roxy shingle) and not starring in (although it’s said that she will have a supporting role in the film), does have Terrell’s estate’s blessing.

Sylvia Jahshan is scripting the adaptation, with filming set to also begin in 2016.

Over a short 12 month period, starting in April 1967, the super duo of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell enjoyed a string of 4 straight hits with some of the greatest love songs ever recorded at Motown Records. Sadly, only the first two of those 4 hits were released while Tammi Terrell was still well enough to perform them. In October 1967, just six months after the release of the now-classic “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” Terrell collapsed onstage during a live performance at Virginia’s Hampton-Sydney College. Two-and-a-half years later, on March 16, 1970, she died of complications from the malignant brain tumor that caused her 1967 collapse. She was only 24 years old at the time of her death, but she already had more than 10 years of show-business experience behind her, starting early, appearing as an opening act for the likes of Patti Labelle & the Bluebelles, later joining James Brown’s live revue as a backup singer at 18. In 1965, at the age of 20, she was signed to Motown Records. But it wasn’t until a couple of years later, when Motown decided to pair her with Marvin Gaye, while working with songwriters/husband-and-wife team of Ashford and Simpson, that Terrell (along with Gaye) became a star. After “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” came: "Your Precious Love,” “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” and “You’re All I Need to Get By.”
Deadline was first to report the Tamala Jones project.