Donald Lawrence

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Donald Lawrence
Donald Lawrence 2018.png
Lawrence in 2018
Background information
Born (1961-05-04) May 4, 1961 (age 64)
Genres Gospel music
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, record producer, choir director, record producer, actor
Years active1992–present
Labels GospoCentric, Reprise, Crystal Rose, Star Song, Island, EMI Gospel, Quiet Water Entertainment, Verity
Website donaldlawrence.com

Donald Lawrence (born May 4, 1961, Gastonia, North Carolina) is an American gospel music songwriter, record producer and artist. He is best known for his Grammy Award-nominated songs "The Blessing of Abraham" and "Encourage Yourself".

Contents

He studied at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in music. He has received multiple Grammy and Stellar Award honors and served as vocal coach to the R&B group En Vogue, was the musical director for Stephanie Mills, songwriter for The Clark Sisters, and collaborator with a host of artists including Peabo Bryson, Kirk Franklin, Karen Clark Sheard, Donnie McClurkin, and Mary J. Blige.

Biography

Lawrence took on The Tri-City Singers after a friend vacated his position as musical director. [1] (The three cities that The Tri-City Singers come from are Spartanburg, SC, Gastonia, NC, and Charlotte, NC. [2] ) The group debuted in 1993 with A Songwriter's Point Of View on a then-brand-new independent record label called GospoCentric Records. The set debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Gospel Charts. [3] The group's follow-up release Bible Stories would top those same charts when it arrived in 1995. [4] It was the first to be billed as Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers and featured black church-ubiquitous hits such as "A Message For The Saints", "I Am God" and "Stranger". The album was released on Lawrence's newly minted label Crystal Rose Records which was distributed through Sparrow Records.

In 1997, Donald Lawrence produced the live portion of Karen Clark Sheard's Grammy-nominated Finally Karen debut. Lawrence & Tri-City also released the seasonal Hello Christmas the same year. Later, Lawrence signed a contract with the Island Records imprint Island Inspirational. Though a live recording did take place for release, [1] the album never materialized.

In 2000, Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers signed to EMI Gospel. To promote the new album, a maxi CD of the lead single "Testify" to the mainstream. House remixes by Junior Vasquez sent the song to No. 33 on Billboard's Mainstream Dance Charts. [5] When tri-city4.com was finally released in late summer 2000, the set peaked at #2 on Billboard's Top Gospel Charts and #13 on Billboard's Heatseekers Charts. [3] The album also got a profile boost from the all-star standout "God's Favor", featuring vocal turns from Karen Clark Sheard, Kim Burrell, and Kelly Price.

Lawrence waited almost two years before delivering the follow-up Go Get Your Life Back in early 2002. "The Best Is Yet to Come", a song sonically much in the vein of the previous smash "Testify," was chosen as the album's lead single. This release featured guest appearances from Ann Nesby (formerly of Sounds of Blackness) and gospel pioneer Bishop Walter Hawkins. The momentum continued with the 2003 release of Restoring The Years, a greatest hits album featuring two new songs.

The next album would mark a fresh start for Donald Lawrence. I Speak Life was his first solo album, the debut for his newly inked recording contract with Verity Records, and also the first release under his new sublabel Quiet Water Entertainment. Though the album was without The Tri-City Singers, guest appearances were plenteous. Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker, Faith Evans, Richard Smallwood, and Carl Thomas all contributed to the album. Even jazz notables Ramsey Lewis and Lalah Hathaway were on hand for a remake of the Bible Stories classic "Don't Forget To Remember". The effort earned Lawrence a total of 7 Stellar Award nominations, and 6 wins. [6]

In March 2006, The Tri-City Singers announced that they would retire, but not before one last live recording. [7] Finale: Act One and Finale: Act Two were released simultaneously on April 4, 2006. Each release was a CD/DVD set that chronicled the audio and video of one half of the concert, with packages that locked into one another respectively. A special edition of Finale was later released with both CDs and DVDs. The blowout concert included guest appearances from Bishop Walter Hawkins, Karen Clark Sheard, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Daryl Coley, LaShun Pace, Darwin Hobbs, and many other gospel luminaries. The album's lead single "The Blessing Of Abraham" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance in December 2006. [8] His sophomore solo album, The Law of Confession Part I was released in February 2009. Soon after, Donald said in an interview that The Law of Confession, Part II would be released soon, but that he was focusing on other projects. [9]

Donald Lawrence was featured on the title track "Released" by Bill Winston presents Living Word". He was also the host of Verizon's "How Sweet The Sound Choir Competition".

Discography

Albums

TitleAlbum detailsChart positions
US US
Gospel
US
Heat
A Songwriters Point Of View(as Director of The Tri-City Singers)
  • Released: 1993 [4]
  • Label: GospoCentric
--2
Bible Stories(with The Tri-City Singers)
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Crystal Rose
-1-
Hello Christmas(with The Tri-City Singers)
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: Star Song
-7-
tri-city4.com(with The Tri-City Singers)
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: EMI Gospel
-213
Go Get Your Life Back(with The Tri-City Singers)
  • Released: 2002
  • Label: EMI Gospel
-4-
The Best of Donald Lawrence & the Tri-City Singers: Restoring the Years(with The Tri-City Singers)
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: EMI Gospel
-21-
I Speak Life
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: QWE/Verity
-2-
Finale: Act One(with The Tri-City Singers)
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: EMI Gospel
-4-
Finale: Act Two(with The Tri-City Singers)
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: EMI Gospel
-5-
The Law of Confession, Part I
  • Released: 2009
  • Label: Zomba/Verity Records
722-
YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: Zomba/Verity Records
411-
20 Year Celebration, Vol. 1: Best for Last(with The Tri-City Singers)
  • Released: 2013
  • Label: eOne
-1-
Goshen(with The Tri-City Singers)
  • Released: 2018
  • Label: eOne
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Donald Lawrence Presents Power: A Tribute to Twinkie Clark
  • Released: 2023
---

Singles

Awards and nominations

Dove Awards

The Dove Awards are awarded annually by the Gospel Music Association. Lawrence has won 2 awards from 6 nominations. [10] [11]

YearNominated workAwardResult
2001Contemporary Gospel Album of the YearTri-city4.comNominated
2003Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year"The Best Is Yet To Come"Nominated
2008Contemporary Gospel Album of the YearLive - One Last TimeNominated
2019Traditional Gospel Album of the YearGoshenWon
Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year"Deliver Me (This is My Exodus)" (with Le'andria Johnson)Won
2020Song of the Year"Deliver Me (This is My Exodus)"Nominated

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Lawrence has won 1 award from 16 nominations. [12]

YearNominated workAwardResult
1996 Best Gospel Album By A Choir Or Chorus Bible StoriesNominated
2001 Best Gospel Choir Or Chorus AlbumTri-city4.comNominated
2003 Go Get Your Life BackNominated
2006 I Speak LifeNominated
2007 Best Traditional Gospel Album Finalé Act OneNominated
Best Gospel Song "The Blessing of Abraham"Nominated
Best Gospel Performance Nominated
2008 Best Traditional Gospel AlbumLive - One Last TimeWon
The Grand Finale: Encourage YourselfNominated
Best Gospel Song"Encourage Yourself"Nominated
2010 Best Traditional Gospel AlbumThe Law of Confession, Part INominated
2012 Best Gospel Song"Spiritual" (with Blanche McAllister-Dykes)Nominated
2013 "Released" (with Bill Winston and Living Word)Nominated
2014 Best Gospel AlbumBest for Last: 20 Year Celebration Vol. 1 (Live)Nominated
2015 Best Gospel Performance/Song"Sunday A.M. (Live)" (with Rudy Currence)Nominated
2020 Best Gospel AlbumGoshenNominated
2025 Best Gospel Performance/Song"Church Doors" (with Sir William James Baptist)Nominated

NAACP Image Awards

The NAACP Image Awards are awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Lawrence has been nominated 3 times.

YearNominated workAwardResult
2014 Outstanding Gospel Album - (Traditional or Contemporary)20 Year Celebration Volume 1 - Best For LastNominated
2021 Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation AlbumThe First Ladies of Gospel: The Clark Sisters Biopic SoundtrackNominated
Outstanding Producer of the YearHimselfNominated

Stellar Awards

The Stellar Awards are awarded annually by SAGMA. Lawrence has received 10 awards from 27 nominations. [13]

YearNominated workAwardResult
2007Artist of the YearDonald Lawrence presents The Tri-City Singers; Finale: Act OneWon
Choir of the YearWon
Contemporary Choir of the YearWon
Contemporary CD of the YearWon
Music Video of the YearWon
Producer of the YearWon
Special Event CD of the YearWon
CD of the YearNominated
2008Producer of the YearLive - One Last TimeWon
2009Donald Lawrence Introduces The Murrills Family PrayerNominated
Recorded Music Package of the YearNominated
2010Producer of the YearThe Law of Confession Part 1Won
Recorded Music Package of the YearWon
Artist of the YearNominated
CD of the YearNominated
Contemporary CD of the YearNominated
Contemporary Group/Duo of the YearNominated
Group Duo of the YearNominated
Song of the Year"Back II Eden"Nominated
Urban/Inspirational Single/Performance of the Year"Let the Word Do the Work"Nominated
2011Producer of the YearThe ExperienceNominated
2013Artist of the YearYRM (Your Righteous Mind)Nominated
Contemporary CD of the YearNominated
Contemporary Group/Duo of the YearNominated
Group/Duo of the YearNominated
Producer of the YearNominated
2014Song of the Year"Your Best Days Yet"Nominated

References

  1. 1 2 "Donald Lawrence & The Tri City Singers". GospelCity.com. March 22, 2000. Archived from the original on November 26, 2005.
  2. North, Stan. "Restoring The Years". GospelFlava.com.
  3. 1 2 "Tri City Singers Charts & Awards". AllMusic.
  4. 1 2 Donald Lawrence: Billboard Albums Chart History at AllMusic
  5. 1 2 Donald Lawrence: Billboard Singles Chart History at AllMusic
  6. "The Official 21st Annual Stellar Award Winners (2006)". GospelFlava.com.
  7. "Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers Bid Farewell With the Release Of "Finale"". GospelCity.com. March 14, 2006. Archived from the original on December 12, 2006.
  8. "49th Annual Grammy Award Nominees List: Gospel Categories". Grammy.org.
  9. "Donald Lawrence says there's power in confession".
  10. "Past Winners". Dove Awards . Enter 'The Clark Sisters' into the 'Search:' field to see list of awards. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  11. "Dove Award History" . Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  12. "Donald Lawrence". Grammy.com . Recording Academy . Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  13. "Stellar Award History - Gospel Flava" . Retrieved August 4, 2025.