The Clark Sisters

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The Clark Sisters
Background information
Origin	Detroit, Michigan
Genre(s)	Gospel/Soul/Jazz
Occupation(s)	Singers
Instrument(s)	Vocals
Years active	1970-present
Label(s)	Billmo Records, Sound Of Gospel Records, Westbound, Elektra, Word Records, Sparrow Records, EMI Gospel
Associated acts	Mattie Moss Clark, Kierra "Kiki" Sheard, J Moss
Website	http://www.theclarksisters.com
Members
Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark Jacky Clark Chisholm Dorinda Clark Cole Karen Clark Sheard
Former members
Denise Clark Bradford

The Clark Sisters are an American gospel vocal group consisting of four sisters: Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark, Jacky Clark Chisholm, Dorinda Clark Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard. A fifth member, Denise Clark Bradford, no longer performs with the group. 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 as pioneers of contemporary gospel.

[edit] Biography

The Clark Sisters were born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. They each began singing at an early age and by the late 1960s they were all performing together in church services, usually singing songs written and arranged by their mother. A few years later, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark turned over control of the group to Twinkie, and in 1973, the sisters recorded their first album, Jesus Has A Lot to Give, on their uncle's local label Billmo Records.^[1]

The following year, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark Presents The Clark Sisters was released, and people around Detroit began to take notice of the group. In 1974, The Clark Sisters signed to Sound of Gospel Records where they would see their recording career take off. In the late 1970s, the group released four albums: Unworthy (1976), Count It All Joy (1978), New Dimensions of Christmas Carols (1978), and He Gave Me Nothing to Lose (1979).

The early 1980s saw The Clark Sisters become a nationwide phenomenon as Twinkie guided the sisters in a live recording which was titled Is My Living In Vain. Upon its release, the album would remain atop of the Billboard gospel charts for over a year. The Clark Sisters' following release would prove to be an even bigger success. "You Brought the Sunshine", their biggest hit to date, would go on to garner the Sisters a gold album and a bonafide hit on the gospel and R&B charts. The Clark Sisters released four more albums during the 1980s. During this time, Denise would leave the group to become a minister. Twinkie followed suit with her solo projects and ministerial calling, while Jacky, Dorinda, and Karen stayed behind and performed as a trio. They recorded one album, Miracle, in 1994. Later that year, their mother died from complications of diabetes.^[2]

Karen went solo in 1997, and her debut album, Finally Karen, received a Grammy nomination and won a Soul Train Lady of Soul award. She has since released three more solo albums: 2nd Chance, The Heavens Are Telling, and It's Not Over. Dorinda and Jacky released their first solo efforts, Dorinda Clark Cole and Expectancy, respectively, in 2002. The Clark Sisters have all contributed in various capacities to each other's albums, whether they sang or wrote lyrics. More recently, The Clark Sisters did a live recording on July 8, 2006 in Houston, Texas entitled One Last Time. The recording was directed and produced by Donald Lawrence and is expected to be released as a CD on April 10, 2007^[3] on EMI Gospel, followed by a CD/DVD Special Edition release June 19, 2007.

[edit] "The Clark Sound"

The Clark Sisters are renowned for their unique vocal stylings, dubbed as "The Clark Sound". In their music, The Clark Sisters incorporate high and fast melismas, acrobatic trills and riffs, and deep, soulful growls, or "squalls". The sisters are also well known for each distinctive sound that they contribute. Jacky (tenor) is known for her soft, deeper vocals; Dorinda (alto), the "jazzy" sister, inputs scats and riffs; Karen (soprano) is known for her flawless riffs, runs, melismas, and high vocal range; and Twinkie is credited with being the "heart of the Clark Sisters", due to being the chief songwriter, also possessing a range from soprano to low contralto and even bass.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Jesus Has A Lot To Give (Billmo, 1973)	Dr. Mattie Moss Clark presents The Clark Sisters (Billmo, 1974)	Unworthy (Sound Of Gospel, 1976)	Count It All Joy (Sound Of Gospel, 1978)
New Dimensions of Christmas Carols (Nine/Sound Of Gospel, 1978, #SOG 085)	He Gave Me Nothing To Lose (But All To Gain) (Sound Of Gospel, 1979)	Is My Living In Vain (Sound Of Gospel, 1980)	You Brought The Sunshine (Sound Of Gospel, 1981, #SOG 132)
Sincerely (New Birth, 1982, #7058)	Best (Spirit and Truth, 1986)	Heart and Soul (Word, 1986) Chart positions: #4 (US Gospel)	Conqueror (Word, 1988) Chart positions: #7 (US Gospel), #29 (US Contemporary Christian)
Bringing It Back Home (Word, 1989)	Miracle (Sparrow, 1994) Chart positions: #8 (US Gospel)	You Brought The Sunshine/Unworthy (CD Reissue) (Sound Of Gospel)	Count It All Joy/He Gave Me Nothing To Lose (CD Reissue) (Sound of Gospel)
"Live - One Last Time" (EMI Gospel, 2007)

[edit] Singles

• "You Brought The Sunshine (In My Life)" (Westbound/Elektra, 1983)
• "Time Out" (Rejoice/Word/A&M, 1986)
• "Blessed & Highly Favored" (EMI Gospel, 2007)

[edit] Other Appearances

• "Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates" - Commissioned & The Clark Sisters (from Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration) (Reprise, 1992)
• "Nothing To Lose" - Florda A&M University Gospel Choir featuring The Clark Sisters (Crystal Rose, 1996)
• "Jesus Is A Love Song" - Karen Clark-Sheard featuring The Clark Sisters (from Finally Karen) (Island, 1997)
• "Pure Gold" - Karen Clark-Sheard featuring The Clark Sisters (from Finally Karen... Live! - VHS Only) (Island/Polygram Video, 1997)
• "Show me the Way"- Dorinda Clark-Cole featuring The Clark Sisters(from Dorinda Clark-Cole)(Gospocentric,2002)
• "You Brought The Sunshine" - Kelly Price feat. The Clark Sisters (Def Soul, 2003)
• "I'm Not Perfect" - Missy Elliott feat. The Clark Sisters (from This Is Not A Test) (Elektra, 2003)
• "I Made It" - Twinkie Clark featuring The Clark Sisters (from Home Once Again) (Verity, 2004)
• "Blessing Me"- Jacky Clark-Chisholm featuring The Clark Sisters (from Expectancy)(Entheos ,2005)

[edit] Trivia

• The Clark Sisters' biggest hit "You Brought The Sunshine" was picked up from its original independent gospel record label Sounds of Gospel and distributed by both Westbound Records and Elektra Records and in 1983 peaked at #16 on the Black Singles chart, #27 on the Club Play Charts, and #80 on the Hot R&B Charts.^[4]
• The Clarks' signature song "Is My Living In Vain" was remade by R&B quartet Xscape as well as gospel quintet Zie'l.
• An early Clark favorite "Endow Me" from their chart topping album You Brought The Sunshine was remade by Coko featuring Faith Evans, Fantasia Barrino, and Lil' Mo on her 2006 gospel debut.
• "You Brought The Sunshine" has had serveral remakes by artists such as Kelly Price. This song is expected to be on their reunion album (scheduled for April 10, 2007).

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Clark Sisters Website
• Clark Sisters Official Myspace Page
• The Clark Lounge
• Clark Sisters Marathon on Myspace
• Clark Sisters Internet Radio Station on Live365
• Stellar Awards