Karen Clark Sheard

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Karen Clark-Sheard
Birth name Karen Valencia Clark
Born November 15, 1960 (1960-11-15) (age 47)
Origin Detroit, Michigan
Genre(s) Gospel
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s) Vocals, Keyboard, Organ, Drums
Years active 1970-present
Label(s) Island Black Music, Elektra, Word
Associated acts The Clark Sisters
Kierra "Kiki" Sheard
Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark
Dorinda Clark Cole
Jacky Clark Chisholm
Mattie Moss Clark
J Moss
Website KarenClarkSheard.com

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.

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[edit] Brief Biography

Karen Clark Sheard was born November 15, 1960 and is the youngest of six children Leo, Jackie, Denise, Elbernita (better known as "Twinkie"), Dorinda, and Karen born to 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.

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.[1] 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.[2]

Cover of 2002 promotional single "Be Sure" from 2nd Chance
Cover of 2002 promotional single "Be Sure" from 2nd Chance

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.[3][4]

She is in the studio recording a new cd that is slated for release late 2008 early 2009.

[edit] 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, who is also a gospel recording artist, and John Drew Sheard II, 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[5], but Clark-Sheard made a miraculous [6][7]recovery and recorded her second album, 2nd Chance (named so because of the "second chance" given to her by God) [8], 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.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

See also Category:Karen Clark Sheard albums

Album information
Finally Karen (Island)
  • Released: November 1997
  • Chart positions: #2 (US Gospel), #28 (US R&B)
  • Singles: "Nothing Without You," "Balm in Gilead," "Will of God"
  • Producers: Donald Lawrence, J. Moss
2nd Chance (Elektra)
The Heavens Are Telling (Elektra)
  • Released: November 2003
  • Chart positions: #188 Billboard 200, #44 (US R&B), #3 (US Gospel)
  • Singles: "We Acknowledge You", "We Are Not Ashamed," "I Owe"
  • Producers: Donald Lawrence, J. Moss, PAJAM
It's Not Over (Word)
  • Released: January 2006
  • Chart positions: #124 Billboard 200, #4 (US Gospel)
  • Singles: "Favor", "You Showed Me"
  • Producers: Israel Houghton, Aaron Lindsay, J. Moss, J. Drew Sheard

[edit] 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 (Karen Clark Sheard as backing vocal) This Is Me EMI Gospel
2006 "Jesus Is Lord" Andrae Crouch (featuring Karen Clark-Sheard) Mighty Wind Verity
2007 "Know Him" J Moss (Featuring Karen Clark Sheard) V2 Gospocentric
2007 "Can't Nobody Bobby Jones (Featuring Karen Clark Sheard) The Ambassador Gospocentric

[edit] References

  1. ^ Karen Clark Sheard. GospelCity.com (March 22, 2000).
  2. ^ Award Nominations at The Envelope. Los Angeles Times.
  3. ^ Jones, Steven. An interview with Karen Clark Sheard. GospelFlava.com.
  4. ^ Karen Clark Sheard Biography.
  5. ^ Taylor, LaTonya (February 20, 2006). Back From The Dead. Christianity Today.
  6. ^ Gospel City Interview
  7. ^ Christian Music Planet
  8. ^ McIntyre, Donald and Kiel, Danna (August 1, 2002). Karen Clark Sheard Gets '2nd Chance'. EURweb.com.

[edit] External links