Kurt Carr

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Kurt Carr
The Kurt Carr Singers perform for President George W. Bush and guests on June 17, 2008 in the East Room of the White House
Background information
Born	(1964-10-12) October 12, 1964 Hartford, Connecticut
Genres	Gospel, praise & worship
Occupations	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, piano
Years active	1990–present
Labels	Verity Gospel Music Group
Associated acts	James Cleveland, Anastacia
Website	kurtcarrgospel.com

Kurt Carr (born on October 12, 1964) is an American gospel music composer and performer. While living in the city of Hartford, Connecticut, he served as Minister of Music at The First Baptist Church of Hartford located at the time on Greenfield Street. Carr credits Archbishop LeRoy Bailey as a positive influence in starting his professional gospel career, having enabled Carr to perform his own music during church services.^{[citation needed]}

Biography

Early years

Kurt Carr was born in the early 1960s in Hartford, Connecticut, where he grew up in a family who believed in Jesus, but was not deeply involved in church. At the age of 13, Kurt found himself being increasingly drawn to the church. In his early teen years, he performed as an actor and dancer at the Hartford Stage Company in a Broadway musical called On the Town, which was directed by Clay Johnson. He became an active member in his church's music department. At the age of 17, Carr realized that he was being called to do something even higher with his life. After high school, he entered into the music program at the University of Connecticut, where he studied classical music and earned a Fine Arts degree. Carr is a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Music career

Carr was piano accompanist for Andrae Crouch's music ministry for one year. Carr was subsequently hired to be musical director and pianist for Rev. James Cleveland’s ministry and was employed there for seven years, until Cleveland's death. Eventually, Carr became director of the West Los Angeles Church of God in Christ Choir, where he had the opportunity to work with both gospel and secular musical artists, including Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin. In 1989 while in Los Angeles, Carr formed a six-member gospel vocal ensemble called The Kurt Carr Singers. Anastacia was its member in 1997.^[1] The group has grown to eight members and now includes sopranos Yvette Williams, Brittany Holmes, and Michelle Prather, altos Timiney Figueroa-Caton, Nakitta Foxx, Vonnie Lopez, and Nikki Potts, and tenor Troy Bright.^{[citation needed]}

Carr’s music is a blend of traditional gospel composition and vocals, with elements of R&B, jazz, soul, blues, and the distinct modern harmonies and singing styles found in urban contemporary gospel. The Kurt Carr Singers under his direction and musical influence have created seven albums. Kurt Carr has won four Stellar Awards.

Discography

1988: I'm Glad
1991: Together
1994: Serious About It
1997: No One Else
2000: Awesome Wonder
2005: One Church
2008: Just the Beginning
2012: Bless This House

References

↑ http://www.anastacia-archive.de/cds/

Persondata
Name	Carr, Kurt
Alternative names
Short description	American musician
Date of birth	October 12, 1964
Place of birth	Hartford, Connecticut
Date of death
Place of death

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