Commissioned (gospel group)

Commissioned
Origin Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres Gospel, contemporary Christian, inspirational/worship
Years active 19842006, 2011, 2013
Members Fred Hammond
Keith Staten
Michael Brooks
Mitchell Jones
Karl Reid
Marvin Sapp
Maxx Frank
Montrell Darrett
Marcus Cole
Chris Poole
Michael Williams

Commissioned is an American, Urban Contemporary Gospel group. The group recorded twelve albums over a period of seventeen years.

Group composition

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, the six original members were Fred Hammond, Mitchell Jones, Keith Staten, Karl Reid, Michael Brooks, and Michael Williams formed a group in 1982, 2 years after Fred Hammond played bass for The Winans. In 1991 Staten and Brooks left the group and were replaced by Marvin Sapp, Maxx Frank, and Eddie Howard, Jr.. By 1994 Howard had left the group and Williams left a year later. Hammond also left to pursue a career with the choir Radical For Christ. He was replaced by Montrell Darrett. By 1999, Marcus Cole and Chris Poole had taken the place of Sapp and Darrett on the group's last studio album. In 2002 Commissioned released a reunion album recorded live at the Straightgate Church in Detroit, MI on October 26, 2001 which brought back most of the group's former members and featured most of its greatest hits. The group performed live on stage during the 2002 Stellar Awards in Atlanta, Georgia.[1] In 2011, They were honored at the BMI Awards after the Stellar Awards. Gospel singers such as Dawkins & Dawkins, Deitrick Haddon, Marvin Sapp, The Soul Seekers, The Clark Sisters, and Men of Standard sang musical tributes. The members who were present at the event were Fred Hammond, Keith Staten, Marvin Sapp, Mitchell Jones, Karl Reid, Michael Williams, Michael Brooks, Maxx Frank, Montrell Darrett, and Marcus Cole. The group sang their song "Victory" from their sophomore record, Go Tell Somebody.

The R&B group Silk remade the Commissioned ballad Cry On for the 1994 soundtrack for the movie Blankman.

Discography

Albums

Release date Album title[2] Label RIAA certification
1985 I'm Going On Light Records
1986 Go Tell Somebody Light Records
1987 On The Winning Side Light Records
1988 Will You Be Ready? Light Records
1989 Ordinary Just Won't Do Light Records
1990 State of Mind Benson/Verity Records
1991 Number 7 Benson Records
1994 Matters of the Heart Benson Records
March 1, 1996 Irreplaceable Love Benson Records
October 12, 1999 Time and Seasons Verity Records
April 23, 2002 The Commissioned Reunion Live Verity Records

Compilations

Release date Album title[3] Label RIAA certification
1991 A Collection Light Records
1993 Commissioned Complete Platinum Records
1994 Go Tell Somebody/I'm Going On Light Records
1995 The Light Years CGI Records
1995 Gospel Greats Benson Records
1999 The Best of Commissioned Verity Records
2002 Mega 3 Collection Light Records
2003 Essential BMG Special Products
2006 The Definitive 16 Greatest Hits Intersound Records

Singles

Release date Single title[4] Label RIAA certification
1994 Love is the Way A&M Records
1995 One Man ZYX Records

Commissioned also performs on the J2K: Jesus 2000 project and the With This Ring projects.

Performance videos

Release date Video / DVD title[5][6] Label
1991 In Concert (Live) (VHS) Mercury Video
1998 Matters of the Heart (Video/Live) (VHS) Verity Records
1998 Commissioned: Live in Concert (VHS) Xenon Entertainment Group
1998 Number 7 (VHS) Verity Records
2002 The Commissioned Reunion: Live (Video/DVD) Verity Records

Billboard chart history

Albums

Year Album title Chart name[7] Peak position
1985 Go Tell Somebody' / I'm Going On Top Gospel Albums 5
I'm Going On Top Gospel Albums 11
1986 Go Tell Somebody' Top Gospel Albums 2
1987 On the Winning Side Top Gospel Albums 6
1988 Top Contemporary Christian 24
1989 Will You Be Ready? Top Contemporary Christian 26
Top Gospel Albums 29
1990 Ordinary Just Won't Do Top Contemporary Christian 28
Top Gospel Albums 4
State of Mind Top Contemporary Christian 19
Top Gospel Albums 4
1991 Number 7 Top Contemporary Christian 22
Top Gospel Albums 7
Matters of the Heart Top Contemporary Christian 13
Top Gospel Albums 13
1994 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 65
1996 Irreplaceable Love Heatseekers 19
Top Contemporary Christian 9
Top Gospel Albums 3
1994 The Best of Commissioned Top Gospel 29
2000 Time and Seasons Heatseekers 28
Top Contemporary Christian 13
Top Gospel Albums 6
2002 The Commissioned Reunion: Live (Video/DVD) The Billboard 200 100
Top Contemporary Christian 8
Top Gospel Albums 3

Awards

Nominations

Year Award-giving body Award category Song /Album title
1989Grammy AwardsBest Soul Gospel Performance - Duo, Group, Choir or ChorusWill You Be Ready?
1991Grammy AwardsBest Pop Gospel AlbumShakin' the House...Live - Carman & Commissioned (& the Christ Church Choir)
1994Grammy AwardsBest Contemporary Soul Gospel AlbumMatters of the Heart
2001Stellar AwardsContemporary Group/Duo of the YearTime & Seasons
2002Stellar AwardsProducer of the Year (Israel humphrey)Commissioned Reunion Live
2002Stellar AwardsGroup/Duo of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live
2002Stellar AwardsContemporary Group/Duo of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live
2002Stellar AwardsContemporary CD of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live
2002Stellar AwardsSpecial Event CD of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live
2002Grammy AwardsBest Contemporary Soul Gospel AlbumCommissioned Reunion Live

Members

Footnotes

  1. Cummings, Tony. "17th Annual Stellar Award Winners (2002)". GospelFlava. Retrieved 2007-01-10.
  2. "allmusic Discography". Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  3. "allmusic Discography". Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  4. "allmusic Discography". Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  5. "allmusic Filmography". Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  6. "allmovie Filmography". Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  7. "allmusic Charts & Awards". Retrieved 2007-05-31.