Tamara Antrice Johnson-George (TAJ) is a successful wife, mother, author, and entertainer. Though primarily recognized as Taj, 1/3 of the multi-platinum selling R&B group – Sisters with Voices (SWV), Taj is quickly being recognized as a star in her own right.

 

The youngest of six children, Tamara was raised in Brooklyn. Her father died of pancreatic cancer when she was nine. Taj grew up in an abusive household. Her stepfather was addicted to drugs and regularly beat her mother, sick with bone cancer. When she was 14 years old, her mother died, causing Taj and her siblings to be separated. Taj wound up living with a cousin. Her new living conditions were stressful, adding to the sexual abuse she had experienced over the years from a male relative.

 

Despite a difficult upbringing, Taj graduated with honors from high school, and was accepted to college. She chose instead to join SWV and in 1992 her singing career took off with the group’s meteoric rise to success.

Immediately after the group disbanded in 1998, Taj was signed to a modeling contract with the Ford Modeling Agency. She began dating famous NFL Tennessee Titan running back, Eddie George. Taj returned to school and received her Bachelors of Business Administration from Belmont University in 2004. A month after finishing college, Taj and Eddie were married and had a son, Eriq in 2005. Taj is also the proud stepmother of Eddie's first son, Jaire, and godmother to Coko's oldest son, Jazz. They live in Nashville, Tennessee.

 

In the summer of 2004, the two were featured in their own reality show on TV One, “I Married a Baller.” The show provided viewers with a REAL view into their hectic life in Nashville, TN. On the show she pulled no punches and gave viewers an alternative view of what it’s really like to be an NFL wife, mother, and still maintain her own career.

 

In less than a decade Taj has added the title of published author, reality star and co-host to her resume’. In July, 2008 she published her first book Player HateHer: How to Avoid the Beat Down and Live in a Drama Free World (Amistad/Harper Collins) which she co-wrote with her best friend.  And 4 years later her second book, Married For Real: Building a Loving, Powerful Life Together (Abingdon Press) was released.  The book, which focuses on their personal stories of a successful marriage, was written with her husband and has continued to garner national attention since its release in February 2012.

 

Taj stepped up her reality game big time when she made the PIVOTAL decision to compete on the CBS hit reality show, SURVIVOR. She won over the cast, crew and America’s hearts with her friendly, honest, hardworking personality and managed to make it to the final four. She came in second in the Fan Favorite votes, falling short to the season’s winner JT Thomas (Winner, Survivor Tocantins).

 

These days Taj is returning back to her musical roots as SWV recently (April 2012) released their first album, “I Missed Us” since 1997. Taj said, “Sometimes you need time to heal and refresh so that you can give your best.”

 

It’s been over a decade since the trio released their last album yet their presence in the music industry helped open doors for many of the female groups that followed them.  And no stranger to reality tv, Taj continues to wow fans as SWV stars in their own reality show on WE Tv, SWV: Reunited, which has just been picked up for a second season.