O'Neill is no stranger to the Gospel music audience given her 30-plus years of experience! From the age of 5 she has been on stage in both group and soloist capacities. Travelling extensively across North America and parts of the United States, she sang with the Elliott Family along with her mother-Joan Elliott, father-Milt and brother-Timmy for most of her youth. They performed as such places as Hamilton Place (Hamilton, ON), Paramount Canada's Wonderland (Toronto), Massey Hall (Toronto), Kleinhan's Music Hall (Buffalo, NY), Rodney Sings (Rodney, ON) and thousands of other venues, too many to mention. Her reputation was then established both as an accomplished soloist and as an affective group member. Marlene studied first in the Fine Arts Program (theatre, dance and music) at York University and then the prestigious Jazz Music Program at Humber College. In 1987 she embarked on a solo ministry along with her husband Jim, then forming a joint partnership called O'Neill Ministries. She moved on to fulltime ministry in February 1998.