Karen Clark Sheard
Karen Clark Sheard |
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Karen Clark Sheard (born Karen Valencia Clark) is a three-time Grammy Award winning American gospel singer, songwriter, member of seminal group The Clark Sisters, and mother of contemporary gospel singer Kierra "Kiki" Sheard.
Biography
Karen Clark Sheard was born November 15, 1960. She has six older siblings : Leo, Jacky Clark Chisholm, Denise Clark-Bradford, Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark-Terrell, and Dorinda Clark Cole. Her parents are Pastor Elbert Clark and Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, a pioneering detroit based gospel choral director. Clark-Sheard is best known for being a member of iconic gospel group The Clark Sisters.
Personal life
On June 16, 1984, Karen Clark-Sheard wed John Drew Sheard, a minister. Her husband is senior pastor of Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ in Detroit. Together they have 2 children: Kierra (1987), who is also a gospel recording artist, and John Drew Sheard II (1989), a young musician and up-and-coming producer.
In 2001, Clark-Sheard was faced with a life-threatening crisis when a blood vessel burst during a scheduled hernia surgery. Her doctors only gave her a 2% chance of survival due to her complications. After the blood clot was surgically removed, Clark-Sheard fell into a coma. The coma lasted three and a half weeks [1], but Clark-Sheard made a miraculous [2][3]recovery.
Clark-Sheard recorded her second album 2nd Chance (named so because of the "second chance" given to her by God) [4], in 2002. Clark-Sheard's near-death experience is referenced in her daughter Kierra's song "You Don't Know". On February 10th, 2008, Karen won a Grammy for Best Gospel Song: Blessed & Highly Favored in which she wrote.
Career
Karen's involvement in the Island Inspirational All Stars' "Don't Give Up" in 1996 (along with Donald Lawrence, Hezekiah Walker, and Kirk Franklin) led to her signing with Island Records[5].
Her solo career began with the release of her debut album Finally Karen in 1997. The album, consisting of half studio recordings and half live recordings, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album in 1998. The set did however win the Lady Of Soul award for Best Gospel Album the same year [6].
After Yolanda Adams, Karen Clark-Sheard became the 2nd gospel artist to sign to Elektra Records. She released her Elektra debut album 2nd Chance in 2002 led off by the single "Be Sure". Though Clark-Sheard was in excellent form vocally, the slick, progressive sound of the disc was not received well. The 2003 followup The Heavens Are Telling fared well, but came at an awkward time when Elektra Records was being dissolved into Atlantic Records. In 2005, after a bidding war with several labels, Karen Clark Sheard finally signed with Word Records and issued It's Not Over, the following year.
Singers Mariah Carey, Faith Evans, Coko of SWV, Beyoncé, Blu Cantrell, and Fantasia all count Karen Clark-Sheard as one of their greatest vocal influences [7][8].
She is in the studio recording a new cd that is slated for release late 2008 early 2009.
Discography
Albums
See also Category:Karen Clark Sheard albums
| Album information |
|---|
Finally Karen (Island)
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2nd Chance (Elektra)
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The Heavens Are Telling (Elektra)
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It's Not Over (Word)
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Other
This section documents Karen Clark Sheard's featured solo appearances. For The Clark Sisters' appearances, visit this section.
| Year | Title | Artist | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "If My People Which Are Called By My Name" "Everything Will Be Alright" "Christ Is Coming Back Again" "Come I'll Give You Rest" |
Mattie Moss Clark feat. Karen Clark | He Was Hung Up For My Hangups | Sound Of Gospel |
| 1993 | "The Grass Withereth" | Karen Clark-Sheard | Thomas Whitfield: A Tribute to "The Maestro" | Benson/A&M |
| 1996 | "Don't Give Up" | Island Inspirational All-Stars featuring Kirk Franklin, Karen Clark Sheard, Hezekiah Walker, and Donald Lawrence | Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood (Soundtrack) | Island |
| 1996 | "Act Like You Know" | LaShun Pace featuring Karen Clark-Sheard | A Wealthy Place | Savoy |
| 1996 | "I Won't Complain" | FAMU Gospel Choir featuring Karen Clark-Sheard | Twinkie Clark-Terrell presents FAMU Gospel Choir | Crystal Rose |
| 2000 | "God's Favor" | Tri-City Singers featuring Karen Clark-Sheard, Kim Burrell, and Kelly Price | Tri-City4.com | EMI Gospel |
| 2001 | "Fo Sho'" | Yolanda Adams featuring Karen Clark-Sheard | Believe | Elektra |
| 2001 | "King" | Darwin Hobbs & Karen Clark-Sheard | Boycott (Soundtrack) | EMI Gospel |
| 2002 | "Christ Is Coming Back Again" | Twinkie Clark featuring Karen Clark-Sheard | Live In Charlotte N.C. | Verity |
| 2002 | "Fatal Attraction" | Karen Clark-Sheard | T.D. Jakes Presents: God's Leading Ladies (Various Artists) | Dexterity Sounds/EMI Gospel |
| 2002 | "Show Me The Way" | Dorinda Clark-Cole featuring The Clark Sisters | Dorinda Clark Cole | GospoCentric |
| 2004 | "Don't Nobody Know" | Ramiyah featuring Karen Clark Sheard, Kierra KiKi Sheard, & Dorinda Clark Cole | Ramiyah | Sony Music Entertainment |
| 2005 | "Blessing Me" | Jacky Clark-Chisholm featuring The Clark Sisters | Expectancy | Entheos records |
| 2006 | "Wrong Things" | Kierra Sheard (backing vocals by Karen Clark Sheard) | This Is Me | EMI Gospel |
| 2006 | "Jesus Is Lord" | Andrae Crouch feat. Karen Clark Sheard | Mighty Wind | Verity |
| 2007 | "Know Him" | J Moss feat. Karen Clark Sheard | V2 | Gospocentric |
| 2007 | "Can't Nobody | Bobby Jones feat. Karen Clark Sheard | The Ambassador | Gospocentric |
References
- ^ Taylor, LaTonya (February 20, 2006). "Back From The Dead". Christianity Today.
- ^ Gospel City Interview
- ^ Christian Music Planet
- ^ McIntyre, Donald and Kiel, Danna (August 1, 2002). "Karen Clark Sheard Gets '2nd Chance'". EURweb.com.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Karen Clark Sheard". GospelCity.com. March 22, 2000.
- ^ "Award Nominations at The Envelope". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Jones, Steven. "An interview with Karen Clark Sheard". GospelFlava.com.
- ^ "Karen Clark Sheard Biography".
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