At an early age, Teresa's father realized that his daughter had a special talent of singing - a talent he encouraged her to develop by paying for piano and voice lessons for her.

Valeriani's career as a singer began in her teen-aged years.  As a budding pop singer, she found a manager who handled her booking and counseled her in her performance techniques.  Soon, she began touring with some of the biggest names in Italian entertainment.  She performed on theatrical stages and at fairs and festivals throughout Italy.

But, the demands of a musical career were too much for the budding artist.  So, she settled into a job as a secretary at a hospital in Rome where she worked until 1997 when she came to the United States.  Throughout her life, Teresa faced many trials and struggles, particularly in her marriage after her first husband broke his sacred marriage vows and fathered children outside their marriage.  This led to Teresa having to raise her two children as a single mother.  These trials caused her to begin questioning her life and set her on a spiritual journey.  She said there was a missing element in her life - the element of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  As many Italian people are, she was raised as a Catholic, but, she said, she did not "know Jesus in a personal way."

In 1996, during a period of intense personal stress, her spiritual journey led her through the doors of a little evangelical church in Rome.  As a total stranger, she was made to feel welcomed by the church's members.  She was befriended by one of the church's deacons who encouraged her and counseled with her.  Teresa began attending the church and through a series of Bible studies found the missing element of her life - "Jesus."  Later that year, she met her husband-to-be, Daniel L. Johnson, when he came to her church and sang as a member of a missions team who led a series of revival meetings in her church.

In March of 1997, she made her commitment to Jesus known to the church in her baptism ceremony.  In April, she traveled to Nashville, TN, for a ten-day visit with Daniel.  Although "they had been courting by phone and by fax," it was during this time that they determined that they wanted to get married.  Teresa returned to Rome to make preparations to make her permanent move to Nashville.  She returned to Nashville on October 15, 1997, and the couple was married by Grand Ole Opry star Stu Phillips - who is also a Nashville pastor - on October 17, 1997.   Soon after their marriage, Daniel discovered the singing ability of his new wife.

Since their marriage, The Johnsons have performed at churches and other family venues as the Gospel duo, THE PEARLY GATES.   This year, the duo is touring the country, performing their unique program of "testimonies; story-telling;  good, clean humor; and Gospel music with a lot of Italian dressing." 

 "Teresa is a wonderful singer, and our audiences really seem to love her," Daniel said.  "She has the voice of an angel, and she knows how to deliver a song.  She really sings with feeling and power, and audiences relate to her because of that." 

But, Daniel said, there is more to their musical marriage than just music.  "I've already said that Teresa is a wonderful singer; but, more importantly, she is a wonderful person who is letting Jesus shine through her life.  I love her for who she is.  I'm glad God brought us together."