Twinkie Clark
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| Twinkie Clark | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark | |
| Also known as | Twinkie Clark-Terrell Queen of the Hammond B3 |
|
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan | |
| Genre(s) | gospel music | |
| Occupation(s) | singer, songwriter, producer, arranger | |
| Instrument(s) | vocals, organist, pianist | |
| Years active | 1960s-present | |
| Label(s) | Sound Of Gospel, Tyscot, Crystal Rose, Tribute, Verity, EMI Gospel | |
| Associated acts |
The Clark Sisters Karen Clark Sheard Dorinda Clark Cole Jacky Clark Chisholm |
|
| Website | http://www.theclarksisters.com/ | |
| Notable instrument(s) | ||
| Hammond B3 Organ | ||
Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark (born in Detroit, Michigan) is an American gospel singer, composer, musician, and evangelist.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
She is a member of The Clark Sisters, an influential gospel vocal ensemble active since the late 60's. Clark has been the group's creative force since their mother Mattie Moss Clark turned over control of the group to her in the early 1970s. An accomplished pianist and organist, Clark received formal training in piano from Howard University and is dubbed as the "Queen of the Hammond B3" organ. [1] She has written over 150 songs for her sisters and mother alone.
Clark was one of the first to add jazz, reggae, hip-hop, and blues to gospel music. This is evidenced by listening to her first two solo albums Praise Belongs To God and Ye Shall Receive Power recorded for Sound Of Gospel Records while still with The Clark Sisters. Both of these recordings were recently released on compact disc.
Twinkie left the Clark Sisters in 1989 to focus on ministry[2] and family. She has since recorded several solo albums intermittently including Comin' Home, Masterpiece. In 2002, she recorded her first live solo album Live in Charlotte[3], and its success warranted another live effort, Home Once Again: Live in Detroit, two years later. She also released a collaboration project with the Florida A&M University Gospel Choir called Twinkie Clark-Terrell Presents the Florida A&M University Gospel Choir which also was a mainstay in the Billboard Gospel top 10 in late 1996.
Twinkie recently reunited[4] with The Clark Sisters in July 2006 to record a new live album, tentatively titled One Last Time, and scheduled to be released by EMI Gospel in March 2007.
[edit] Discography
- Praise Belongs To God (Sound of Gospel, 1979)
- Ye Shall Receive Power (Sound of Gospel, 1981)
- Comin' Home (Tyscot, 1992)
- Masterpiece (Tribute/Verity, 1996)
- Twinkie Clark-Terrell presents FAMU Gospel Choir (Crystal Rose, 1996)
- Twinkie Clark and Friends: Live In Charlotte N.C. (Verity, 2002)
- Home Once Again: Live In Detroit (Verity, 2004)
[edit] Selected list of songs written
- "The Will Of God" (Karen Clark Sheard & Kierra "Kiki" Sheard)
- "You Brought The Sunshine" (The Clark Sisters)
- "A Praying Spirit" (Karen Clark Sheard)
- "He Was Hung Up For My Hangups" (Mattie Moss Clark)
[edit] Trivia
- Twinkie Clark is an avid Stevie Wonder fan, and hopes to one day do a duet with him.[5] Her most popular song "You Brought The Sunshine" was partially inspired by the motif of Stevie's "Master Blaster (Jammin')".
- Twinkie's son John Terrell raps on her Live In Charlotte NC album.
[edit] References
- ^ Twinkie Clark - Home Once Again... Live In Detroit. GospelCity.com.
- ^ Heron, Christopher (July 13, 2001). An Interview with Twinkie Clark. GospelCity.com.
- ^ Clark, Melanie (August 2002). Twinkie Clark Live in Charlotte Album Review. GospelFlava.com.
- ^ Percy, Damon (July 2006). Clark Sisters Live Recording Recap. GospelFlava.com.
- ^ Gay, Gregory (September 1, 2005). Twinkie Clark -- A Look Back. GospelFlava.com.
