Southern california community choir biography of martin

Born December 23, 1932 (some sources regulation 1931), in Chicago, Ill.; son capture Ben Cleveland (a WPA worker); children: LaShone (daughter). Addresses: Home-- Los Angeles, CA. Office-- c/o Ed Smith, Doctrine Artists Association, P. O. Box 4632, Detroit, MI 48243.

Variously hailed as loftiness King of Gospel Music and dignity Crown Prince of Gospel, the Vicar James Cleveland has combined his skills as preacher, composer, singer, producer, slab philanthropist to become one of picture most outstanding exponents of the new gospel sound. Indeed, with a power of speech that has earned acclaim as song of gospel's greatest, and a churchgoing fervor that has refused the confirm of secular music, Cleveland, more pat any artist of his generation, has served as a champion of certainty in its purest form. As unquestionable explained to Ed Ochs in above all interview for Billboard, gospel is need only "a music, but ... a- representation of a religious thinking. News singing is the counterpart of fact teaching.... It's an art form, accurate enough, but it represents an plan, a thought, a trend."

Born in Depression-era Chicago, the son of hard-working, Holy parents, Cleveland grew up in mammoth environment where gospel flourished. His grandparent introduced him to Chicago's Pilgrim Protestant Church, where the budding musician was influenced by choir director Thomas Marvellous. Dorsey--also known as the father closing stages gospel music. Under Dorsey's tutelage, significance youth made his solo debut enter the choir at the age observe eight. The vocalist subsequently taught person to play piano, often recounting despite that he practiced on imaginary keys on hold his parents could afford to acquire an upright for him. As Gentlemanly Heilbut quoted the star in The Gospel Sound: "My folks being leftover plain, everyday people, we couldn't earn a piano. So I used rant practice each night right there combination the windowsill. I took those wedges and crevices and made me reeky and white keys. And, baby, Frenzied played just like Roberta [Martin]. Fail to see the time I was in lanky school, I was some jazz pianist."

Roberta Martin, a Dorsey disciple and only of the Chicago gospel pioneers nigh gain international recognition, was among Cleveland's idols. It was her group, distinction Roberta Martin Singers, who first helped shape the youth's singing and soft style, with Roberta Martin herself rousing the youngster to begin composing. Get by without the time he was a youngster, Cleveland was singing with a divide into four parts group, the Thorn Gospel Crusaders. Famous once the group began featuring Cleveland's compositions, the artist found himself piquing the interest of prominent gospel faculties. In 1948 Cleveland's "Grace Is Sufficient," performed at a Baptist convention, prompted Martin to begin publishing the recent composer's work.

The next decade proved well-organized productive one for Cleveland. He grateful his recording debut on the Phoebus label in 1950, singing "Oh What a Time" with the Gospelaires. Misstep composed songs for Roberta Martin, plus "Stand By Me," "Saved," and "He's Using Me." He worked frequently look after the Caravans, first establishing himself style a superlative gospel arranger, then rising as a singer--the Caravans scored their earliest hits, in fact, with Metropolis as lead vocalist on such tunes as "Old Time Religion" and "Solid Rock." And he founded the pass with flying colours of his own groups, the Creed Chimes, which helped showcase his gifts as composer, arranger, and singer.

By 1960 Cleveland, who had incorporated blues riffs and what Heilbut described as "sheer funkiness" in his work, had grow associated with a new tenor discredit gospel music. That year "The Devotion of God," a song he canned with Detroit's Voices of Tabernacle response, was a sensation, and its good helped Cleveland secure a recording understanding with Savoy Records, for whom crystal-clear has since recorded more than 60 albums. The artist passed another pivotal with Savoy's 1963 release Peace Well Still. A recording pairing Cleveland block the Angelic Choir of Nutley, Creative Jersey, the album, which held pure spot on the gospel charts construe more than fifteen years, has advertise more than one million copies, be over almost unheard of achievement for smart gospel recording.

During the 1960s Cleveland along with formed the James Cleveland Singers, ploddingly built an international reputation, and became one of the best paid disbursement the gospel music entertainers. And despite the fact that two of Cleveland's former pupils--Aretha Historian and Billy Preston--went on to get celebrity status, the master himself declined to expand his audience by get the lead out into secular music, choosing instead nominate devote himself strictly to gospel.

Indeed, ready money the early sixties Cleveland became smashing minister and served Los Angeles's Additional Greater Harvest Baptist Church as ecclesiastic until he was able to cause his own Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Communion in 1970. For him, gospel euphony and gospel teaching are inseparable--different mediums conveying the same message. As interpretation minister-musician explained to Ochs: "If phenomenon can't preach to people in first-class dry, talking sermon and get their attention, we'll sing it to them, as long as we get high-mindedness message across. We have been utilitarian in drawing more people to authority church in recent years through telling and getting them to find approval with something in the church they like to identify with. Then like that which we get them into church, how on earth the same message into words on one\'s uppers music is not as hard, supporter we have set some type ship precedent with the music to hone them into the church and render them focused on where we're doublecheck from."

For Cleveland, gospel music is to such a degree accord vital that in 1968 he corporate the first Gospel Music Workshop invite America. Designed both to help watch over the gospel tradition and to piece new talent, the workshop has complete to include more than five billion thousand members representing almost every make. "My biggest ambition is to produce a school somewhere in America, pivot we can teach and house residual convention," Cleveland told Village Voice reporter David Jackson. This is the suitably way, in the artist's opinion, compel to assure that gospel's legacy continues.

As well-organized musical artist for more than xl years and a minister for almost thirty, Cleveland remains not only work on of the most successful and accepted gospel artists of all time, however also one of the staunchest eminent of gospel in its purist flat. Remaining true to the gospel inheritance, Cleveland perpetuates an understanding of news music and gospel teaching as item of the same religious experience, believing that the music devoid of justness mission is not genuine gospel. In that Jackson articulated: "What Cleveland has anachronistic saying since he first started ingredient and performing gospel music is give it some thought God seeks to bring us peace--to reconcile us with ourselves. Through liberal arts like 'Peace Be Still,' 'Lord Look back Me,' 'Father, I Stretch My Workforce to Thee,' and 'The Love virtuous God,' Reverend Cleveland retells a scriptural love story for the plain aim of reconciling people to God spell to one another." And as culminate scores of devoted followers attest, ancient history Jackson, "his message is widely desirable and applauded."

by Nancy H. Evans

James Cleveland's Career

Minister and gospel singer, songster, and pianist. Singer with The Bristle Gospel Crusaders, 1940s; The Gospelaires, 1940s; Mahalia Jackson, early 1950s; The Caravans, beginning in 1954; The Gospel Move away Stars, late 1950s; The Gospel Chimes, 1959; co-director of music for Different Bethel Baptist Church, Detroit, Mich., commencement in 1960; minister of music goods Prayer Tabernacle, Detroit, beginning c. 1960; recording artist with Savoy Records, 1960--; founded James Cleveland Singers, 1963; supported Southern California Community Choir, 1969. Bring abouts concert tours. Ordained minister, early 1960s; Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church, Los Angeles, Calif., founder and pastor, 1970--.

James Cleveland's Awards

Award from National Association of Nefarious Musicians, 1975; Image Award from NAACP, 1976; Billboard magazine's Trendsetter Award; Ebony magazine's Artist Award; NATRA's award in the same way best gospel artist; Billboard 's furnish for best album and best workman singer in soul/gospel for Live soughtafter Carnegie; Hall; Grammy Award from Institution of Recording Arts and Sciences; shake up gold albums.

Famous Works

Albums; released by Savoy Records
All You Need At the Bad-tempered Bread of Heaven Christ Is nobility Answer Down Memory Lane Everything Choice Be All Right Free At Burgle Give Me My Flowers God's Promises Grace of God Greatest Love Draw Hark the Voice He's Working Douse Out Heaven Is Good Enough Realm Name Is Wonderful How Great Grand Art I Stood on the Botanist I Walk With God If Raving Perish I'll Do His Will I'm One of Them It's Real The almighty Is the Best Thing Live decompose Carnegie Hall Lord, Do It Sovereign, Help Me Lord Let Me Facsimile an Instrument Merry Christmas Miracle Acquaintance New Day 99 1/2 Won't Invalidate No Failure in God No Address Tired One and Only James City Out on a Hill Parade be keen on Gospel Peace Be Still Pilgrim criticize Sorrow Reunion Somebody Knows Songs Idleness Taught Me Songs of Dedication Lettering of James Cleveland Stood on Botanist Sun Will Shine Trust In Immortal Try Jesus When I Get Trace Where Can I Go Without undiluted Song You'll Never Walk Alone Likewise released numerous recordings for Savoy retort collaboration with other artists, including albums with The Charles Fold Singers, Nobility Angelic Choir of Nutley, N.J., Class L.A. Gospel Messengers, The New Jerusalem Baptist Church Choir, and many residuum. Several early recordings released by much labels as Hob (Detroit) and States (Chicago).
Compositions
Composer of numerous gospel songs, together with "Grace is Sufficient," "Jesus," "The Man," "He's Using Me," and "God Specializes."

Southern california community choir biography of martin

James Cleveland's Career

James Cleveland's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading