Kirk Dewayne Franklin is an American choir director, gospel singer, dancer, songwriter, and author. He is best known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property, and One Nation Crew (1NC) among many others. He has won numerous awards, including 16 Grammy Awards. Variety dubbed Franklin as a "Reigning King of Urban Gospel", and is one of the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.
The Clark Sisters are an American gospel vocal group consisting of five sisters: Jacky Clark Chisholm, Denise "Niecy" Clark-Bradford, Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark, Dorinda Clark-Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard. The Clark Sisters are the daughters of gospel musician and choral director Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. They are credited for helping to bring gospel music to the mainstream and are considered pioneers of contemporary gospel. Their biggest hits include "Is My Living in Vain", "Praise the Lord (Hallelujah)", "I Can Do All Things Through Christ That Strengthens Me", "A Praying Spirit", "Nothing to Lose, All to Gain", "Endow Me", "Jesus Is a Love Song", "Ha-Ya ", "Pure Gold", "Expect Your Miracle", and their biggest, mainstream crossover hit, "You Brought the Sunshine". As a group, the Clark Sisters have won three Grammy Awards and are the highest-selling female gospel group in history. In 2020, it was announced that the Clark Sisters would be honored with the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award at the 35th Annual Stellar Awards.
Karen Valencia Clark Sheard is an American Grammy Award–winning Gospel singer, musician, songwriter, and businesswoman. Clark-Sheard is the wife of the current Church of God in Christ Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard and she serves as the current First Lady of the COGIC denomination. Clark–Sheard is the youngest member of gospel group the Clark Sisters. Clark–Sheard is also the mother of contemporary gospel singer and actress Kierra "Kiki" Sheard. She has released five solo albums, seventeen with the Clark Sisters, and collaborated with her son J. Drew Sheard II and her daughter Kierra Sheard.
This Is Me is the second studio album by American singer Kierra "Kiki" Sheard. It was released by EMI Gospel on June 27, 2006 in the United States. Sheard reteamed with her brother J. Drew Sheard, Warryn Campbell and duo PAJAM to work on her sophomore album but also consulted new collaborators to write and produce on This Is Me, including PJ Morton, Antonio Neal, and Tommy Sims as well as Fred Jerkins III and his son Lil Freddie.
PAJAM is an American songwriting and production team, made up of Paul Allen, J. Moss and Walter Kearney, all of Detroit, Michigan. The team works with gospel, soul and R&B artists.
Finally Karen is the debut solo album of gospel singer Karen Clark Sheard of The Clark Sisters, released on November 4, 1997. The live portion of the album was recorded at Bailey Cathedral in Detroit, Michigan. The album was Grammy-nominated for Best Soul Gospel Album in 1998. The song "The Will of God" launched the gospel career of her daughter Kierra "Kiki" Sheard, who won her first Stellar award from the strength of her vocal performance. Finally Karen also won the Lady Of Soul award for Best Gospel Album the same year.
I Owe You is the debut studio album by American gospel singer Kierra "Kiki" Sheard. It was released by EMI Gospel on September 7, 2004 in the United States. Sheard worked with a variety of producers on the album, including Warryn Campbell, Rodney Jerkins, PAJAM, and Tonéx. I Owe You debuted atop the US Billboard Top Gospel Albums and the Heatseekers Albums. It also reached number four on the Top Christian Albums and number 29 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
The Heavens Are Telling is an album by the multiple Grammy and Stellar award-winning gospel singer Karen Clark Sheard, released on November 4, 2003. In the USA, the album peaked at #3 on the Billboard Top Gospel Charts, #11 on the Billboard Top Christian Charts, #44 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Charts, and #188 on the Billboard Top 200.
Donald Lawrence 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".
Stand Out is the third album by American gospel music artist Tye Tribbett and the final album to feature his choir Greater Anointing (G.A.) before the choir was retired in 2009. The album is the group's second live recording. The album was recorded at a live concert on August 17, 2007 at the Rock Church International, Virginia Beach, Virginia and released on May 6, 2008.
The Sound is the fifth studio album by American duo Mary Mary. It was released on October 21, 2008, by Columbia Records. A concept album suggesting an FM radio broadcast experience, the project was produced by Warryn Campbell.
Kierra Valencia Sheard is an American gospel singer, songwriter, fashion designer, actress, entrepreneur, author and creative director. She is the daughter of gospel singer Karen Clark-Sheard and granddaughter of gospel choral director Mattie Moss Clark. Sheard portrayed her mother in the hit Lifetime movie, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel. After appearing on her mother's and aunt's albums, Sheard broke to the music scene with the release of her debut album I Owe You in 2004. Her hit single "You Don't Know" was inspired by her mother almost losing her life to a fatal blood clot.
WOW Gospel 2008 is a gospel music compilation album in the WOW series. Released on February 12, 2008, it comprises thirty-three songs on a double CD set. It reached 34 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2008, and number one on the Top Gospel Albums chart. The album cover pays tribute to Dallas, Texas.
Bold Right Life is the third studio album by the American singer Kierra Sheard. It was released by EMI Gospel on 27 October 2008.
"God in Me" is a song by contemporary gospel group Mary Mary. It was released as the second single from their fourth studio album The Sound (2008). The single features gospel singer Kierra "Kiki" Sheard and was written and produced by both Mary Mary and producer Warryn Campbell, husband of member Erica Campbell. The single is the group's first to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 since their debut single, "Shackles", charted in 2000. The song won Song of the Year at the 25th Annual Stellar Awards.
WOW Gospel 2010 is a gospel music compilation album from the WOW series. It was released on January 26, 2010, and features thirty gospel hits on a double CD set. The album cover pays tribute to Detroit, Michigan. The album held number one position for several weeks on Billboard's Top Gospel Albums chart, and reached number 40 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2010.
WOW Gospel 2011 is a gospel music compilation album from the award-winning WOW series. Released on February 1, 2011, the double CD album features thirty contemporary gospel hits. The album cover pays tribute to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The album debuted straight at number one on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart, and peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 in 2011.
WOW Gospel 2012 is a gospel music compilation album from the award-winning WOW series. Released on January 24, 2012, the double CD album features thirty contemporary gospel hits. The album cover pays tribute to Los Angeles, California, with a side tribute to the San Francisco Bay Area on the back album cover notes. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard Gospel Albums Chart, and number 30 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Graceland is the fifth studio album by American singer Kierra Sheard. It was released by Karew Records and Motown Gospel on July 22, 2014. Her debut with her brother's J. Drew Sheard music label, the album debuted at number one on US Top Gospel Albums and reached number 33 on the US Billboard 200, becoming Sheard's highest-charting album yet. Graceland was nominated for a Stellar Award and a GMA Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel/Urban Album of the Year.
Kierra is the sixth studio album by American singer Kierra Sheard. It was released by Karew Records and RCA Inspiration on April 17, 2020. Sheard is Also nominated for a Grammy award at the 2021 ceremony.
