Fred Hammond
Fred Hammond | |
|---|---|
| Born | Frederick William Hammond December 27, 1960 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan |
| Genres | Gospel, Contemporary Christian, inspirational |
| Occupations | Musician, producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, bass guitar |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Labels | Light, Verity, A&M, Benson |
| Website | realfredhammond |
Frederick William Hammond[1] (born December 27, 1960)[2] is an American gospel singer, bass guitar player, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most popular figures in contemporary gospel music.[3][4][5] He is known for using a variety of different styles in his music such as R&B, hip-hop, and disco.
Musical career
Hammond has been active both as a member of the gospel performing group Commissioned, and as a solo artist (currently for Verity Records). He is a multiple Grammy, Dove, and Stellar award winner and nominee as a performer, producer, and writer.
Hammond first gained recognition while playing bass guitar for the gospel group The Winans.[2] By 1985, he was one of the six original members of the group Commissioned, participating in 10 of the group's 12 albums.
After his time with Commissioned ended, he regained fame in the gospel community after selling millions of albums with his musical group Radical For Christ.
In 2002, Hammond returned to the group Commissioned (now with members Keith Staten, Marvin Sapp, Mitchell Jones, Karl Reid, Michael Williams, and Marcus Cole) to produce the Commissioned Reunion Live album.
Hammond produced "Make Me Like the Moon", a gospel ballad co-written by Chanté Moore and Kenny Lattimore for their 2006 double-CD of gospel and R&B love songs entitled Uncovered/Covered (released October 10, 2006, by LaFace/Verity/Zomba Music Group). He also performs with Sean Combs on the unreleased album, Thank You.[6]
Discography
Solo Albums
| Title | Album details | Chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Gospel |
US R&B/HH | |||
| I Am Persuaded |
|
— | 11 | — | |
| Deliverance |
|
— | 26 | — | |
| In Case You Missed It....And Then Some |
|
— | — | — | |
| Christmas...Just Remember |
|
— | 2 | — | |
| Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3 |
|
38 | 1 | 13 | |
| Hooked on the Hits |
|
— | — | — | |
| Somethin' 'Bout Love |
|
35 | 1 | 4 | |
| Free to Worship |
|
29 | 1 | — | |
| Love Unstoppable |
|
26 | 1 | — | |
| God, Love & Romance |
|
8 | 1 | — | |
| United Tenors |
|
39 | 1 | — | |
| I Will Trust |
|
41 | 1 | — | |
| Worship Journal Live |
|
113 | 1 | — | |
| Uncle Fred - Texture of a Man |
|
— | 6 | — | |
| Sunday Morning Fred |
|
— | — | — | |
with Commissioned
| Title | Album details | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Gospel |
US R&B/HH | ||
| I'm Going On |
|
— | — | — |
| Go Tell Somebody |
|
— | — | — |
| On The Winning Side |
|
— | — | — |
| Will You Be Ready? |
|
— | — | — |
| Ordinary Just Won't Do |
|
— | — | — |
| State of Mind |
|
— | — | — |
| Number 7 |
|
— | — | — |
| Matters of the Heart |
|
— | — | 65 |
| Gospel Greats |
|
— | — | — |
| Praise & Worship |
|
— | — | — |
with Radical for Christ
| Title | Album details | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Gospel |
US R&B/HH | ||
| The Inner Court |
|
— | 10 | — |
| The Spirit of David |
|
— | 2 | — |
| Pages of Life - Chapters I & II |
|
51 | 1 | — |
| Purpose By Design |
|
46 | 1 | 18 |
| The Commissioned Reunion Live |
|
— | 3 | — |
with FK&M
| Title | Album details | Chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Gospel |
US R&B/HH | |||
| Time Capsule - The Triolgy |
|
— | — | — | |
Awards and nominations
BET Awards
The BET Awards are awarded annually by the Black Entertainment Television network. Hammond has received 8 nominations.
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Best Gospel Artist | Himself | Nominated |
| 2005 | Nominated | ||
| 2007 | Nominated | ||
| 2012 | Nominated | ||
| 2015 | Nominated | ||
| 2019 | Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award | "Tell Me Where It Hurts" | Nominated |
| 2020 | "Alright" | Nominated | |
| 2022 | "Hallelujah" | Nominated |
Dove Awards
The Dove Awards are awarded annually by the Gospel Music Association. Hammond has received 9 awards from 34 nominations and has also been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Contemporary Black Gospel Album of the Year | Will You Be Ready? (with Commissioned) | Won |
| 1991 | State of Mind (with Commissioned) | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Inspiration Album of the Year | Generation 2 Generation | Won |
| Contemporary Black Gospel Album of the Year | Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration | Won | |
| Contemporary Black Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Kings of Glory" (with Commissioned) | Nominated | |
| 1995 | Contemporary Black Gospel Album of the Year | Matters of the Year (with Commissioned) | Nominated |
| 1996 | Urban Album of the Year | Give Your Love (as producer) | Won |
| Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Glory To Glory To Glory" | Nominated | |
| 1997 | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | Irreplaceable Love (with Commissioned) | Nominated |
| The Spirit of David | Nominated | ||
| Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "No Weapon" | Nominated | |
| 1999 | "Let The Praise Begin" | Won | |
| "Your Steps Are Ordered" | Nominated | ||
| "Jesus Is All" | Nominated | ||
| Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | Pages of Life: Chapters 1 & 2 | Nominated | |
| 2000 | Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Power" | Won |
| Male Vocalist of the Year | Himself | Nominated | |
| 2001 | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | Purpose by Design | Won |
| Long Form Video of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "When You Praise" | Nominated | |
| Urban Recorded Song of the Year | "I Want My Destiny" | Nominated | |
| 2002 | Urban Album of the Year | Christmas... Just Remember | Won |
| Special Event Album of the Year | In Case You Missed It ... and Then Some | Nominated | |
| 2003 | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3 | Nominated |
| 2005 | Somethin' 'Bout Love | Nominated | |
| Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Celebrate (He Lives)" | Nominated | |
| 2006 | "I Will Find A Way" | Nominated | |
| 2007 | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | Free to Worship | Nominated |
| 2010 | Love Unstoppable | Won | |
| Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Awesome God" | Nominated | |
| 2015 | Gospel Artist of the Year | Himself | Nominated |
| Contemporary Gospel/Urban Album of the Year | I Will Trust | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Worship Journal - Live | Nominated | |
| Contemporary Gospel/Urban Recorded Song of the Year | "Father Jesus Spirit" | Nominated | |
| 2021 | Gospel Music Hall of Fame | Commissioned | Inducted |
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Hammond has received 1 award from 15 nominations.
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Best Soup Gospel Vocal Performance By a Duo, Group, Choir, or Chorus | Will You Be Ready? (with Commissioned) | Nominated |
| 1992 | Best Pop Gospel Album' | Shakin' The House...Live | Nominated |
| 1995 | Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | Matters of the Heart | Nominated |
| 1997 | Shakin' The House...Live In L.A. | Nominated | |
| 1999 | Pages Of Life - Chapters I And II | Nominated | |
| Best Engineered Album - Non-Classical | The Nu Nation Project | Nominated | |
| 2001 | Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | Purpose By Design | Nominated |
| 2002 | In Case You Missed It...And Then Some | Nominated | |
| 2003 | Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3 | Nominated | |
| The Commissioned Reunion "Live" | Nominated | ||
| 2005 | Somethin' 'Bout Love | Nominated | |
| Best Gospel Performance | "Celebrate (He Lives)" | Nominated | |
| 2008 | Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album | Free To Worship | Won |
| 2011 | Love Unstoppable | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Best Gospel Song | "I Feel Good" | Nominated |
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards are awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Hammond has received 7 nominations.
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Outstanding Gospel Artist | Himself | Nominated |
| 2003 | Nominated | ||
| 2005 | Nominated | ||
| 2007 | Nominated | ||
| 2010 | Outstanding Gospel Album | Love Unstoppable | Nominated |
| 2013 | God, Love & Romance | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Worship Journal Live | Nominated |
Soul Train Awards
The Soul Train Music Awards are awarded annually. Hammond has received 5 nominations.
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Best Gospel Album | Pages of Life - Chapters I & II | Nominated |
| 2009 | Best Gospel Performance | "They That Wait" (with John P Kee) | Nominated |
| 2010 | Himself | Nominated | |
| 2015 | Best Gospel/Inspirational Song | "I Will Trust" (with BreeAnn Hammond) | Nominated |
| 2022 | Best Gospel/Inspiration Award | Himself | Nominated |
Stellar Awards
The Stellar Awards are awarded annually by SAGMA. Hammond has received 9 awards from 58 nominations.
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year | Time & Season (with Commissioned) | Nominated |
| Purpose By Design (with Radical for Christ) | Nominated | ||
| CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Choir of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Contemporary Choir of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | Won | ||
| Male Vocalist of the Year | Won | ||
| Producer of the Year | Won | ||
| Mountain High...Valley Low | Nominated | ||
| 2003 | Song of the Year | "King of Glory" | Nominated |
| Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | Christmas... Just Remember | Nominated | |
| Contemporary CD of the Year | The Commissioned Reunion Live (with Commissioned) | Nominated | |
| Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Group Duo of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Producer of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Special Event CD of the Year | Won | ||
| 2005 | Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3 | Nominated |
| 2005 | Producer of the Year | Somethin' 'Bout Love | Won |
| Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Contemporary CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Song of the Year | "Celebrate (He Lives)" | Nominated | |
| 2007 | Producer of the Year | Better Than That | Nominated |
| 2008 | Contemporary Male of the Year | Free To Worship | Won |
| Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Producer of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2011 | Artist of the Year | Love Unstoppable | Nominated |
| CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Contemporary CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Producer of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Song of the Year | "They That Wait" | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | God, Love & Romance | Won |
| CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Contemporary CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Producer of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year | "I Feel Good" | Nominated | |
| 2014 | Producer of the Year | United Tenors | Won |
| Contemporary CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Group/Duo of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Urban/Inspiration Single or Performance of the Year | "Here In Our Praise" | Nominated | |
| 2016 | Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | I Will Trust | Nominated |
| Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2017 | Traditional CD of the Year | Worship Journal Live | Nominated |
| Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2019 | Special Event CD of the Year | The Best of Fred Hammond | Won |
| 2021 | Urban/Inspiration Single or Performance of the Year | "Alright" | Nominated |
| Producer of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2025 | Duo/Chorus Group of the Year | Time Capsule - The Trilogy (with Keith Staten and Marcus Cole) | Nominated |
| Producer of the Year | Nominated |
Personal life
Hammond has two children who have appeared on his 2009 album, Love Unstoppable. Hammond divorced his wife of 18 years, Kim, in 2004,[7] and he currently resides in Cedar Hill, Texas.
Hammond revealed on the Donnie McClurkin Show that his mother confessed to him three months before she died that she tried to get an abortion when she was pregnant with him, and the procedure, done in 1960, before abortions were legal, failed. Hammond's mother returned for a second attempt but decided against the procedure; Hammond was later born in December 1960.[8]
According to Fred Hammond in an interview with Tim Ross, his father is Bishop Charles Watkins (now deceased), a former gospel artist and a former full bishop in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. (Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana)
Hammond is an honorary member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity[9]
References
- ^ Broadcast Music, Inc. "Songwriter/Composer: HAMMOND FREDERICK WILLIAM". Broadcast Music, Inc. Archived from the original on January 10, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
- ^ a b Fred Hammond at AllMusic
- ^ "Fred Hammond | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ "Fred Hammond | Encyclopedia.com". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ "Fred Hammond | Yamaha Artists". Yamaha.com. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ "THANK YOU - A GOSPEL SONG COLLECTION". Arista Records. Archived from the original on April 17, 2001. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- ^ Evans Price, Deborah (July 3, 2004). "Hammond Feels the Love as Album Shoots to No. 1". Billboard. p. 13. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
- ^ "My Mom Nearly Aborted Me". Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
- ^ "Gospel Legend Fred Hammond Inducted as Honorary Member of Phi Beta Sigma". Watchtheyard.com. July 19, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
External links
- Fred Hammond at IMDb
- Fred Hammond at AllMusic