Freda Charcilia Payne (born September 19, 1942) is an American singer and actress. Payne is best known for her career in music during the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s. Her most notable record is her 1970 hit single "Band of Gold". Payne was also an actress in musicals and film, as well as the host of a TV talk show Payne is the older sister of Scherrie Payne, a former singer with the American vocal group the Supremes.

     In 1974, she made the cover of Jet magazine after she was appointed a Dame of Justice of the Order of St John of Jerusalem by the Prince of Rumania.  In 2017, Payne was inducted into the 2017 class of the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, in her hometown of Detroit.