This article is about the gospel singer. For the footballer, see Richard Smallwood (footballer).

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Richard Smallwood
Background information
Born	(1948-11-30) November 30, 1948 (age 63)
Origin	Washington, DC, United States
Genres	Gospel music
Occupations	composer, music director, pianist, arranger
Instruments	piano
Years active	1975-present
Labels	Onyx/Muscle Shoals Sound, Sparrow, Word, Capitol, Jive, Verity
Associated acts	The Richard Smallwood Singers Vision

Richard Smallwood (born 30 November 1948 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American Gospel music artist who formed The Richard Smallwood Singers in 1977 in Washington, DC.

Biography[link]

Richard graduated cum laude from Howard University with degrees in both vocal performance and piano, in addition to graduate work in the field of ethnomusicology. Smallwood was a member of The Celestials, the first gospel group on Howard University's campus. That group was the first gospel act to appear at Switzerland's Montreux Jazz Festival. Richard was also a founding member of Howard's first gospel choir.

Smallwood's recording career began in 1982 with the album The Richard Smallwood Singers. The album spent 87 weeks on Billboard's Gospel chart. Its followup, Psalms was nominated for a Grammy. Two years later the album Textures was also nominated. Textures spawned the now-classic "Center Of My Joy" written by Richard Smallwood along with Bill and Gloria Gaither. He won his first Grammy, along with a Dove Award for his production on the Quincy Jones' gospel project Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration.

His music has been recorded by artists such as Destiny's Child, Yolanda Adams, Karen Clark-Sheard, and many more. He even accompanied opera legend Leontyne Price at a White House Christmas celebration during the Reagan administration. Richard, with his current group Vision, has recorded several successful projects for Verity records. He finished his Masters degree in Divinity from Howard University in 2004 and was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2006.

Smallwood's next project was recorded live at the Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center in New York. The concert features guests Kim Burrell on "I Can Make This Journey (With You By My Side)," Kelly Price on "Morning Is Breaking," Chaka Khan on "Precious Is Your Name," as well as The Hawkins Family, Tramaine Hawkins, and the original roster of singers who comprised The Richard Smallwood Singers and Vision.^[1]Aretha Franklin and The Clark Sisters will contribute to additional studio tracks to appear on the album.^[2]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

with Richard Smallwood Singers

• Richard Smallwood Singers (Onyx/Benson Records, 1982)
• Psalms (Onyx/Benson Records, 1984)
• Textures (Word, 1986)
• Vision (Word, 1988)
• Portrait (Word, 1990)
• Testimony (Sparrow, 1992)
• Live at Howard University (Sparrow, 1993)

with Vision

• Adoration: Live in Atlanta (Verity, 1996)
• Rejoice (Christmas Project) (Verity, 1997)
• Healing: Live in Detroit (Verity, 1999)
• Persuaded: Live in D.C. (Verity, 2001)
• Journey: Live in New York (Verity, 2007)
• Promises (Verity, 2011)

Compilations[link]

• Gospel Greats (Benson, 1994)
• Memorable Moments (Sparrow, 1999)
• Praise & Worship Songs of Richard Smallwood With Vision (Verity, 2003)
• Quintessential Collection (EMI Gospel, 2007)
• "Center of My Joy" (Rhino/Shanachie, 2007)

Awards & recognitions[link]

• Inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame on November 14, 2006 at the Richland Country Club in Nashville, TN.
• Received Howard University Distinguished Achievement Award.

Grammy, Stellar & NAACP Image Award Nominations[link]

• 1984: Grammy Nomination, Best Soul Gospel Performance, Duo or Group - Richard Smallwood Singers: "Psalms"
• 1988: Grammy Nomination, Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male - Richard Smallwood: "You Did It All"
• 1990: Grammy Nomination, Best Soul Gospel Performance, Album-Richard Smallwood Singers: "Portrait'
• 1991: Grammy Nomination, Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Performance, Album-Richard Smallwood Singers: "Testimony"
• 1993: Grammy Nomination, Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Performance, Album-Richard Smallwood Singers: "Live"
• 2001: Grammy Nomination, Best Traditional Soul Gospel Performance, Album-Richard Smallwood with Vision: "Persuaded: Live in DC"
• 2001: NAACP Image Award Nomination for Best Gospel Artist, Traditional - Persuaded: Live in DC
• 2003: Stellar Award Nomination for Artist Of The Year - Persuaded: Live in DC; Verity
• 2003: Stellar Award Nomination for Song Of The Year - "My Everything (Praise Waiteth)"; Verity
• 2003: Stellar Award Nomination for Choir Of The Year - Persuade: Live in DC
• 2003: Stellar Award Nomination for Producer Of The Year - Persuaded: Live in DC
• 2003: Stellar Award Nomination for Male Vocalist Of The Year - Persuaded: Live in DC
• 2003: Stellar Award Nomination for CD Of The Year - Persuaded: Live in DC
• 2003: Stellar Award Nomination for Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year - Persuaded: Live in DC
• 2003: Stellar Award Nomination for Music Video of the Year - Persuaded: Live in DC

Stellar Award Wins[link]

• 2000: Stellar Award for Choir of the Year - Healing – Live in Detroit ^[3]
• 2000: Stellar Award for Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year - Healing – Live in Detroit ^[3]
• 2000: Stellar Award for Traditional Choir of the Year - Healing – Live in Detroit ^[3]
• 2003: Stellar Award for Choir of the Year - Healing – Live in Detroit ^[4]

References[link]

1. ^ "Ladywoo Ministry of Music". August 3, 2005. http://www.freewebs.com/ladywoo/gospelnewshappenings.htm. 
2. ^ Murray, Jawn (August 30, 2005). "Jubilant Journey". AOL Black Voices. http://blackvoices.aol.com/black_entertainment/bvbuzzcanvas/_a/august-30-2005/20050829171909990001. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "15th Annual Stellar Award Results". GospelFlava.com. http://www.gospelflava.com/stellar/stellarresults-2000.html. 
4. ^ "18th Annual Stellar Award Results". GospelFlava.com. http://www.gospelflava.com/stellar/stellarresults-2003.html. 

External links[link]

• Richard Smallwood on Myspace - (Official Richard Smallwood Site)
• Richard Smallwood at Allmusic
• Richard Smallwood Awards
• Richard Smallwood Chart History on Billboard
• Photos of Smallwood's Journey Concert from Landru Design

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Donald Andrew McClurkin, Jr. (born November 9, 1959) is an American gospel music singer and minister. He has won three Grammy awards, ten Stellar awards, two BET awards, two Soul Train awards, one Dove award and one NAACP Image award for his work.

Early life[link]

McClurkin was born Copiague, New York and raised in Amityville. When he was eight years old, his two-year-old brother was hit and killed by a speeding driver. After the loss, McClurkin found comfort in church and through an aunt who sang background vocals with gospel music musician Andraé Crouch. He began to play piano and sing with his church youth choir. He formed the McClurkin Singers by the time he was a teenager, and later formed another group, the New York Restoration Choir.^[1][2]

Ministry[link]

He was hired as an associate minister at Marvin Winans' Perfecting Church in 1989.^[3] The Winans are a well-established family of singers who dominated the contemporary gospel charts in the 80's and 90's,while experiencing cross-over appeal, and continue to be voices of influence in 2012. McClurkin served as an assistant to Pastor Marvin L. Winans for over a decade, while living in Detroit,MI.

In 1991, a sharp pain and swelling, followed by internal bleeding, led, he says, to a diagnosis of leukemia. The doctor suggested immediate treatment, but McClurkin, who was then 31, decided to take his own advice. "I tell people to believe that God will save you," he says, "[and] I had to turn around and practice the very thing that I preached."^[4]

He was ordained and sent out by Winans in 2001 to establish Perfecting Faith Church in Freeport, Long Island, where he is now Senior Pastor.^[5][6]

Music[link]

A friendship with a Warner Alliance executive resulted in his signing to the label for his 1996 self-titled LP, with producers Mark Kibble of Take 6, Cedric and Victor Caldwell plus Andraé Crouch. The disc, which featured the perennially popular "Stand," went gold shortly after being publicly lauded by Oprah Winfrey.^[7] At the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, he won in the category Traditional Soul Gospel Album, for "Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs".^[8] McClurkin is best known for his hit songs “Stand” and “We Fall Down” which were played in heavy rotation on both Gospel and Urban radio. His three solo albums have topped the Billboard charts.^[9]

Dovetailing off the success of his near double-platinum selling album,"Live in London and More" McClurkin released "Psalms,Hymns and Spiritual Songs" in 2005 and “We All Are One: Live In Detroit” in 2009 which also topped Billboard charts across various musical genres. McClurkin's love for people and desire to share gospel music,globally, is why he includes a language medley:Japanese, Russian, Spanish, and Dutch in most live performances.

Radio and television[link]

Tom Versen and Tony Sisti of T&T Creative www.tandtcreative.com signed Grammy winner Donnie McClurkin to a radio syndication deal with advertising giant Dial-Global and syndicator Gary Bernstein. T&T Creative provided a mobile recording studio in Pastor Donnie's church that he can also take on the road. He is quoted as saying "As much as I love music and singing, I really love doing radio and the direct feedback I get from my listeners all over the country. I never thought I would be having this much fun doing radio and I could touch and impact so many people."[19]

In 2009 he also broadcast his own television show titled “Perfecting Your Faith” on cable television.^[10] His television appearances include Good Morning America, CBS Saturday’s Early Show, and the View. He has also been featured in movies like “The Gospel”, “The Fighting Temptations” and television shows “Girlfriends” and “The Parkers.”

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Live albums[link]

Compilation albums[link]

Singles:

• Stand (1996)
• Speak To My Heart (1996)
• Love Will Never Be (1996)
• We Fall Down (2000)
• Love Melodies (1998)
• We Love You, Lord (2000)
• Ooh Child (2005) with Kirk Franklin)
• The Prayer (2003)(with Yolanda Adams)
• I Call You Faithful (2005)
• That Great Day (2007) (with Tye Tribbett, Da' T.R.U.T.H.)
• Wait on the Lord (2009)

Filmography[link]

• Hopeville (2007)
• The Gospel (2005)
• The Prince of Egypt (1998) wrote and sang "I Am" & "Humanity"
• 25 Strong: The BET Silver Anniversary Special
• The Donnie McClurkin Story: From Darkness to Light (2004)
• Apollo at 70: A Hot Night in Harlem (2004)
• The Fighting Temptations (2003)

Notable television appearances:

• SuperBowl Gospel Celebration (2012)
• CNN Saturday Morning (2012)
• CNN Pierce Morgan Tonight (2012)
• BET Awards-performance (2011)
• Sunday's Best/ BET Sunday Best -Judge (2011)
• BET Sunday Best - Judge (2010)
• 25th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards-Hosted (2010)
• 24th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards-Co-Hosted (2009)
• An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Stevie Wonder (2006)
• 20th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards (2005)
• 19th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards (2004)
• 18th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards Preshow (2003)
• 17th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards (2002)
• Essence Awards (2003)
• The Parkers (2002)
• Girlfriends (2001)
• 1st Annual BET Awards (2001)
• Essence Awards (2001)
• An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of Educational Excellence (2001)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Donnie McClurkin: official site
• The Donnie McClurkin Show: radio broadcast
• Perfecting Faith Church: official site
• Exclusive Interview on BlackGospel.com (October 2008) : Interview