Twinkie Clark
Elbernita "Twinkie" Dionne Clark is an American singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, organist, record producer, and evangelist. Often called the "[Honorific nicknames in popular music|Mother of Contemporary Hot Gospel Songs|Gospel Music]", she is best known as the chief songwriter and a member of the gospel group the Clark Sisters, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024. Clark possesses a 4-octave vocal range, spanning from bass/baritone to high soprano and whistle register, and was named one of NPR's 50 Great Voices.
Renowned for her mastery of the Hammond Organ, she is credited as the originator of the contemporary "COGIC Shout Sound." in gospel music. Clark is frequently referred to as the "Queen of the B3 Hammond Organ", and was inducted into the Hammond Hall of Fame in 2014. Artists such as Beyonce, Whitney Houston, Faith Evans, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Jazmine Sullivan, Kim Burrell, and Clark's sister, Karen Clark Sheard, have cited Clark as a significant influence on their vocal style and have sampled her songs on several different projects of their own.
Biography
Early life
Born to Mattie Moss Clark and Pastor Elbert Clark in Detroit, Michigan, Clark began her tutelage in music under the direction of her mother, very early in life. From the age of thirteen, she began touring nationally with her mother, ministering and training choirs in three-part vocal harmony. In 1967, she made her recording debut as a featured vocalist alongside her mother, sister Denise Clark, and Dolores Jones on the Southwest Michigan State Choir of the Church Of God in Christ's "He Will Supply Your Need", from the album A Closer Walk with Thee. Clark later received formal music education at Howard University in Washington, D.C.The Clark Sisters
Since their formation in 1973, Clark has been the leader, principal songwriter, and producer of the gospel group the Clark Sisters, which includes sisters Jacky Clark Chisholm, Dorinda Clark Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard. The group achieved their biggest success with the mainstream, crossover hit "You Brought the Sunshine " in 1983, which peaked within the top 20 of Billboard's Gospel and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts and hit a top 30 peak on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. Other hit songs include, "Is My Living in Vain", "Expect Your Miracle" and "Jesus is a Love Song", all written by Clark. Receiving their first Grammy nomination at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards for Sincerely in the Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group category, they received subsequent nominations for their follow-ups, Heart & Soul and Conqueror, for Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo, Group, Choir or Chorus at the 30th and 31st Annual Grammy Awards. In 1990, the group received its first Grammy nomination for a live album when Bringing it Back Home was nominated for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards. In 2007, the Clark Sisters were awarded three Grammys at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards: Best Gospel Song and Best Gospel Performance for "Blessed & Highly Favored" and Best Traditional Gospel Album for its parent album Live: One Last Time, which topped both the Billboard Gospel Albums and Christian Music Video charts.In 2016, the group was honored at the Essence festival. 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. The same year, a Lifetime biographical film, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel was released, produced by Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, and Missy Elliott, and became the highest rated original movie release by Lifetime in four years.
Solo career
Clark has recorded several solo albums. Her debut studio album, Praise Belongs to God, was ranked at No. 28 by Billboard on the 1981 year-end Spiritual Albums chart and followed shortly by Ye Shall Receive Power. In 1992, she released Comin' Home and The Masterpiece in 1996. Also in 1996, she made her live solo debut in a collaborative album Twinkie Clark-Terrell Presents the Florida A&M University Gospel Choir, which was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart, where it was placed by Billboard as the 34th Top Gospel Album of 1996. In 2002, she released Twinkie Clark & Friends...Live in Charlotte which received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album. In 2004, it was followed by the Asaph Ward-produced Home Once Again: Live in Detroit, which became her highest-charting album on Billboards Gospel Albums chart and also appeared on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In 2011 and 2013, Clark released With Humility and Live & Unplugged respectively on Larry Clark Gospel, before releasing a collaborative album with Larry Clark, The Generations in 2020.Musical influence
Clark has been inspired by different genres of music, including jazz, reggae, classical, funk, and blues, and she lists artists such as Stevie Wonder, Walter Hawkins, Edwin Hawkins, Andraé Crouch, Charles Nicks, Aretha Franklin, and her mother, Mattie Moss Clark, as musical influences.Legacy
Artists such as Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans and also her sister, Karen Clark-Sheard have cited Clark as a major influence on their singing and vocal style and have also sampled her music in various songs of their own.Clark is principally credited as the originator of "The C.O.G.I.C. Shout Sound". She is a BMI Gospel Trailblazer honoree and the recipient of multiple Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the recipient of an honorary doctorate of sacred music from the Christian Bible Institute and Seminary.
Discography
Singles
;as a lead artist;as a featured artist
Awards
BET Awards
The BET Awards are awarded annually by the Black Entertainment Television network. Clark has received two nominations.| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
| 2008 | Best Gospel Artist | The Clark Sisters | Nomitated |
| 2020 | Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award | "Victory" | Nomitated |
BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards
The BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards are awarded annually. Clark has been recognized twice.| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
| 2022 | One of the Most-Performed Songs of the Year | "His Love" | |
| 2025 | One of the Most-Performed Songs of the Year | "In Him There Is No Sorrow" |
Dove Awards
The Dove Awards are awarded annually by the Gospel Music Association. Clark has won 2 awards from 10 nominations.| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
| 1983 | Inspirational Black Gospel Album of the Year | Sincerely | Nomitated |
| 1987 | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | Heart & Soul | |
| 2003 | Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Endow Me" | Nomitated |
| 2008 | Artist of the Year | The Clark Sisters | Nomitated |
| 2008 | Group of the Year | The Clark Sisters | Nomitated |
| 2008 | Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Blessed and Highly Favored" | Nomitated |
| 2008 | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | Live – One Last Time | Nomitated |
| 2020 | Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Victory" | Nomitated |
| 2020 | Inspirational Film of the Year | The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel | Nomitated |
| 2020 | Traditional Gospel Album of the Year | The Return | Won |
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Clark has won 3 awards from 8 nominations, including a Lifetime Achievement award.| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
| 1983 | Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group | Sincerely | Nomitated |
| 1987 | Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus | Heart & Soul | Nomitated |
| 1988 | Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus | Conqueror | Nomitated |
| 1990 | Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album | Bringing it Back Home | Nomitated |
| 2002 | Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album | Live In Charlotte | Nomitated |
| 2007 | Best Gospel Performance | "Blessed & Highly Favored" | |
| 2007 | Best Traditional Gospel Album | Live: One Last Time | |
| 2009 | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | "Higher Ground" | Nomitated |
| 2024 | Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award | The Clark Sisters |
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards are awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Clark has won two awards from four nominations.| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
| 1983 | Outstanding Gospel Artist | The Clark Sisters | Won |
| 1989 | Outstanding Gospel Artist | The Clark Sisters | Nomitated |
| 2020 | Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song – Traditional or Contemporary | "Victory" | Nomitated |
| 2021 | Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album | The Return | Won |
Soul Train Awards
The Soul Train Music Awards are awarded annually. Clark has received three nominations.| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
| 1988 | Best Gospel Album – Group or Choir | Heart & Soul | Nomitated |
| 1989 | Best Gospel Album | Conqueror | Nomitated |
| 2020 | Best Gospel/Inspirational Award | The Clark Sisters | Nomitated |
Stellar Awards
The Stellar Awards are awarded annually by SAGMA. Clark has received 8 awards and 2 honorary awards.| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
| 2004 | Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year | Live In Charlotte | Nomitated |
| 2004 | Traditional CD of the Year | Live In Charlotte | Nomitated |
| 2006 | Female Vocalist of the Year | Home Once Again: Live in Detroit | Nomitated |
| 2007 | The Chevrolet Most Notable Achievement Award | The Clark Sisters | |
| 2008 | CD of the Year | Live... One Last Time | Won |
| 2008 | Artist of the Year | Live... One Last Time | Won |
| 2008 | Group or Duo of the Year | Live... One Last Time | Won |
| 2008 | Traditional Group/Duo of the Year | Live... One Last Time | Won |
| 2009 | Special Event CD of the Year | Encore: The Best of the Clark Sisters | Won |
| 2010 | Special Event CD of the Year | Silky Soul Music... An All-Star Tribute to Maze | Won |
| 2012 | Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year | Twinkie Clark | Nomitated |
| 2014 | Special Event CD of the Year | Twinkie Clark Live & Unplugged | Nomitated |
| 2014 | Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year | Twinkie Clark Live & Unplugged | Nomitated |
| 2014 | Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year | Twinkie Clark Live & Unplugged | Nomitated |
| 2020 | James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award | The Clark Sisters | |
| 2021 | Contemporary Duo/Group Chorus of the Year | The Return | Won |
| 2021 | Duo/Group Chorus of the Year | The Return | Nomitated |
| 2021 | Traditional Duo/Group Chorus of the Year | Gospel According to PJ | Won |