The Clark Sisters
The Clark Sisters are an American gospel vocal group originally consisting of 5 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", "Name It, Claim It", "Jesus Is a Love Song", "I’ve Got An Angel", "Take Me Higher", "Praise the Lord ", "A Praying Spirit", "Nothing to Lose, All to Gain", "Endow Me", "Pure Gold", "Expect Your Miracle", and their mainstream crossover hit, "You Brought the Sunshine"; which made its way to #16 on the Hot Black Singles chart in 1983, two years after its original 1981 release on the album of the same name. More recent hits include "Blessed & Highly Favored", "Livin’", "Victory", and "His Love", which features rapper Snoop Dogg.
As a group, the Clark Sisters have won two Grammy Awards and are the highest-selling female gospel group in history. In 2020, the Clark Sisters were honored with the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award at the 35th Annual Stellar Awards. In 2022, the group was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame. In 2024, the group was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the fifth gospel act to receive the award, after Mahalia Jackson, The Staple Singers, The Blind Boys of Alabama, and Shirley Caesar.
Career
Early career
The Clark Sisters were born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, to gospel choir director and musician Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. Dr. Clark was married twice: her first marriage in 1945 to Leo H. Cullum, Sr. produced two children, Leo, Jr. and Jacqueline. After her divorce, she met and later married Pastor Elbert Clark in 1952. This marriage produced four daughters: Denise, Elbernita, Dorinda, and Karen. They each began singing at an early age in the choir at their father's Church of God in Christ, and by the late 1960s they were all performing together in church services, usually singing songs written and arranged by their mother. Shortly after the Clarks' divorce in 1973, Dr. Clark formally created "the Clark Sisters" and the sisters recorded their first album, Jesus Has a Lot to Give, on their uncle Bill Moss' local label Billesse Records. The first television appearance of the Clark Sisters was on TV Gospel Time.The following year, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark Presents the Clark Sisters was released and people around Detroit began to take notice of the group. The Clark Sisters signed to Sound of Gospel Records in 1974. Under this association, the group released albums such as Unworthy, Count It All Joy, and He Gave Me Nothing to Lose, which hit the top 20 of the Billboard Spiritual LPs chart. By this point, Dr. Clark had turned over control of the group to Twinkie, who continued to write, arrange, conduct, and produce all of the Clark Sisters' recordings. Their popularity soared with the release of the live recording Is My Living in Vain, in 1980. Their debut live recording was first ranked on the 1981 Billboard Spiritual Albums year-end chart at number 21, before topping the year-end Spiritual Albums chart of 1982. Opening with the bluesy title track, each sister vocally declares that their dedication to Christ is not a useless effort. The innovative "Ha-Ya " was funky enough to find its way into a Tonex-produced track over two decades later. Karen Clark's lead on "Speak Lord" expresses deep faith while the call to worship is raised on "Now Is the Time". Another hit from this release, "Expect Your Miracle", is still a staple in African American churches across the country.
Mainstream success (1981–1984)
Their next release, You Brought the Sunshine, became successful due to its title track. Reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster ", the song became a hit in churches and on dance floors across the country, including New York's Studio 54. "You Brought the Sunshine " was picked up from its original independent gospel record label Sound of Gospel and distributed by both Westbound Records and Elektra Records. In 1983, the song peaked at number 16 on Billboard Black Singles, number 27 on Dance Club Songs and in 2020 – the Live: One Last Time recording – hit number 11 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart. The album was also a commercial success, peaking at number 9 on the US Top Gospel Albums chart and also appeared on both the 1983 and 1984 year-end charts at number two and 25 respectively. Furthermore, Billboard ranked The Clark Sisters as the number-four Top Gospel Albums Artist of 1982 and number-one Top Gospel Albums Artist of 1983.The sisters delivered another album in 1982, Sincerely, which included "Name It, Claim It" and the politically charged "World". Though its success was overshadowed by You Brought the Sunshine, the sisters received their first Grammy Award nomination for Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group for the album at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards. Shortly after winning the Grammy nomination, the Clark Sisters won the NAACP Image Award for best gospel group for 1983. After receiving a second Grammy nomination in the Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group category for the song, "He'll Turn Your Scars into Stars" – later included on the album Heart & Soul – the sisters were invited to perform live on the following 27th Annual Grammy Awards in 1985, alongside their mother, where they performed "Hallelujah" as part of a medley with the year's fellow gospel nominees.
Denise's departure and subsequent projects (1986–1994)
In 1986, after a 4-year gap between releases, the sisters Jacky, Twinkie, Dorinda, and Karen continued to release music, signing with Rejoice Records, a division of Word. This new deal yielded the Grammy-nominated Heart & Soul, featuring the mainstream single "Time Out". This project made a top-five debut on Billboard's Gospel Charts and garnered the group a Dove Award. It featured the original versions of "Jesus Is a Love Song", "There Is a Balm in Gilead", and "Pray for the USA", all of which have been re-recorded several times. Although not pictured, Denise had contributed to the album before her departure but was later removed from the album. The music took on a more contemporary sound with programmed drums and synthesizers. Also included on this album were "Smile, God Loves You", "I Am Blessed", and the funky aforementioned "He'll Turn Your Scars into Stars".In 1988, The Clark Sisters released their Billboard chart-topping and critically acclaimed album Conqueror. It featured a bolder, more intense sound, with synthesizers, drum machines, and more funk-oriented beats. Conqueror quickly became a fan favorite with hits like "The Darkest Hour Is Just Before the Day", "Take Me Higher", "For the Love of the People", "Computers Rule the World", and the original studio version of "Jesus Forevermore".
In 1989, The Clark Sisters released their live album, Bringing It Back Home, recorded in their home town of Detroit. It was the last recording from The Clark Sisters on Word Records' Rejoice imprint and the last group album with Twinkie just before the launch of her solo career. The album included both previous hits and new material. It also featured guest appearances from Rance Allen and backing choir vocals from the Michigan State Choir under the direction of their mother, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark.
In 1994, The Clark Sisters released their only studio album of the decade, Miracle, which was the first album recorded without the compositions and vocals of sister Twinkie. Produced by BeBe Winans and Michael J. Powell, this disc featured a modernized version of the Clark Sisters classic "Expect Your Miracle" and a remake of "Jesus Is the Best Thing". Dorinda made her songwriting debut on a Clark Sisters recording with "Work to Do". The album, although it fared well in sales, did not match the success of previous albums due to the Clark Sisters not being able to tour and promote the project due to the illness of their mother, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, who died in September 1994 from diabetes complications.
Solo careers (1995–2006)
Following their last Word Records release, Twinkie resumed her calling as a minister and her solo career. She had previously released two solo albums under the Sound of Gospel Record label: 1979's Praise Belongs to God and 1981's Ye Shall Receive Power. In 1992 she recorded her independent solo album Comin' Home. She re-appeared in 1996 with a pair of albums to her credit: the solo studio release The Masterpiece for Ben Tankard's Tribute Records label and the live project Twinkie Clark-Terrell Presents the Florida A&M University Gospel Choir. She later released the following albums: Twinkie Clark & Friends: Live in Charlotte in 2002, Home Once Again: Live in Detroit in 2004, With Humility in 2011, Live & Unplugged in 2015, and with her nephew Larry Clark The Generations in 2020.Karen delivered her solo debut Finally Karen in 1997. The album, featuring The Clark Sisters, Faith Evans, and daughter Kierra Sheard, was nominated for a Grammy Award, in addition to winning a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award. She has since released five more solo albums: 2nd Chance, The Heavens Are Telling, It's Not Over, All in One, and Destined to Win.
Dorinda released her self-titled debut solo album, Dorinda Clark-Cole in 2002, earning her two Stellar Awards, and a Soul Train Lady of Soul award. She has since released four more solo albums: Live in Houston and Take It Back, each of which have earned her the award for Female Vocalist of the Year at the Stellar Awards; I Survived in 2011, and in 2015, she released her fifth solo album, Living It, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album.
Jacky released her first solo project, Expectancy, in 2005, which features The Clark Sisters on the track "Blessing Me". In 2014, she released an urban-inspired single, "My Season", followed by singles "Cover Me" and "Shout". In February 2020, she released a single "Feel Good", featuring Mary J. Blige and rapper Tia P.
The Clark Sisters have all contributed in various capacities to each other's albums, whether they sang or wrote lyrics.