Richard Smallwood (musician)
Richard Smallwood | |
|---|---|
Smallwood in 2005 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Richard Lee Smallwood November 30, 1948 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Origin | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died | December 30, 2025 (aged 77) Sandy Spring, Maryland, U.S. |
| Genres | Gospel |
| Occupations |
|
| Instrument | Piano |
| Labels | |
Richard Lee Smallwood (November 30, 1948 – December 30, 2025) was an American gospel artist who formed the Richard Smallwood Singers in 1977 in Washington, D.C.
Life and career
Richard Smallwood was born in Atlanta on November 20, 1948.[1] He graduated cum laude from Howard University with a dual B.A. degree in classical vocal performance and piano, in addition to graduate work in the field of ethnomusicology.[2] Smallwood was a member of the Celestials, the first gospel group at Howard University. The group was the first gospel act to appear at Switzerland's Montreux Jazz Festival. Smallwood was also a founding member of the university's first gospel choir.[3]
Smallwood's recording career began in 1982 with the album The Richard Smallwood Singers. The album spent 87 weeks on Billboard's gospel chart. Its follow-up, Psalms, was nominated for a Grammy Award. Two years later his Textures album was also nominated. Textures included the song "Center Of My Joy" which was written by Smallwood with Bill and Gloria Gaither. Smallwood won his first Grammy Award, along with a Dove Award, for his production on the Quincy Jones and Mervyn Warren album Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration.
Smallwood's music has been recorded by many artists including Destiny's Child, Yolanda Adams, and Karen Clark-Sheard. He accompanied opera singer Leontyne Price at a Christmas celebration at the White House during the Reagan administration. Smallwood, with his group Vision, recorded several successful projects for the Verity label. He finished his master's degree in divinity from Howard University in 2004 and was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2006.[1]
One of his concerts was recorded live at the Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center in New York. The concert features guests Kim Burrell on "Journey", Kelly Price on "Morning's Breaking", Chaka Khan on "Precious Is Your Name", as well as the Hawkins Family, Tramaine Hawkins, and the original roster of singers who comprised both the Richard Smallwood Singers and Vision.[4] Aretha Franklin and the Clark Sisters contributed to additional studio tracks on the album.[5]
Among Smallwood's most popular songs are "Total Praise", composed in 1996 while he was experiencing sorrow in his life, and "I Love the Lord", popularized by singer Whitney Houston in the film The Preacher's Wife.[6]
Smallwood died in Sandy Spring, Maryland, on December 30, 2025, due to kidney failure at the age of 77.[7]
Discography
Albums
- with Union Temple Baptist Church Young Adult Choir
- Look Up And Live (1974)
- Give Us Peace (1976)
- with Richard Smallwood Singers
- Richard Smallwood Singers (1982)
- Psalms (1984)
- Textures (1987)
- Vision (1988)
- Portrait (1990)
- Testimony (1992)
- Live at Howard University (1993)
- with Vision
- Adoration: Live in Atlanta (1996)
- Rejoice (Christmas Project) (1997)
- Healing: Live in Detroit (1999)
- Persuaded: Live in D.C. (2001)
- Journey: Live in New York (2007)
- Promises (2011)
- Anthology Live (2015)
Awards and nominations
Dove Awards
The Dove Awards are awarded annually by the Gospel Music Association. Smallwood has been inducted into the Hall of Fame and has also won 4 awards from 19 nominations.[8][9][10]
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Inspiration Black Gospel Album of the Year | Richard Smallwood Singers | Nominated |
| 1985 | Contemporary Black Gospel Album of the Year | Pslams | Nominated |
| 1988 | Textures | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Handel's Messiah - A Soulful Celebration | Won | |
| Testimony | Nominated | ||
| Traditional Black Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "T'will Be Sweet" | Won | |
| Contemporay Black Gospel Recorded Sonf od the Year | "What He's Done For Me" | Nominated | |
| 1994 | Contemporary Black Gospel Album of the Year | Live at Howard University | Nominated |
| Contemporary Black Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "In The Shelter" | Nominated | |
| Traditional Black Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2000 | Traditional Gospel Album of the Year | Healing - Live in Detroit | Won |
| Contemporary Gospel Recording of the Year | "Holy Thou Art God" | Nominated | |
| Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Highest Praise" | Nominated | |
| "Healing" | Nominated | ||
| 2002 | "My Everything (Praise Waiteth)" | Nominated | |
| Traditional Gospel Album of the Year | Persuaded - Live in D.C. | Nominated | |
| 2006 | Gospel Music Hall of Fame | Himself | Inducted |
| 2012 | Traditional Gospel Album of the Year | Promises | Won |
| 2024 | Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year | "Center of My Joy" | Nominated |
| 2025 | Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "When I Think (Radio Edit / Live)" | Nominated |
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Smallwood has been nominated 8 times.[11]
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Best Soul Gospel Performance By A Duo Or Group | Psalm | Nominated |
| 1989 | Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male | "You Did It All" | Nominated |
| 1991 | Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | Portrait | Nominated |
| 1993 | Testimony | Nominated | |
| 1994 | Live | Nominated | |
| 2002 | Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album | Persuaded - Live in DC | Nominated |
| 2005 | The Praise & Worship Songs | Nominated | |
| 2012 | Best Gospel Song | "Trust Me" | Nominated |
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards are awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Smallwood has been nominated once.
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Best Gospel Artist, Traditional | Himself | Nominated |
Stellar Awards
The Stellar Awards are awarded annually by SAGMA. Smallwood has received 1 honorary award as well as 6 awards from 29 nominations.[12][13]
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Best Group/Duo - Contemporary | Testimony | Nominated |
| 2000 | Choir of the Year | Healing - Live in Detroit | Won |
| Traditional Choir of the Year | Won | ||
| Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year | Won | ||
| Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Music Video of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Producer of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Song of the Year | "Healing" | Nominated | |
| 2001 | Producer of the Year | Mountain High... Valley Low | Nominated |
| 2003 | Traditional CD of the Year | Persuaded. Live in DC | Won |
| Traditional Choir of the Year | Won | ||
| Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Choir of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Music Video of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Producer of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Song of the Year | "My Everything (Praise Waiteth)" | Nominated | |
| 2005 | James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award | Himself | Honored |
| 2008 | Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year | Journey: Live in New York | Won |
| 2013 | Choir of the Year | Promises | Nominated |
| Traditional Choir of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | Choir of the Year | Anthology Live | Nominated |
| Praise and Worship CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Special Event CD of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Traditional Choir of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated |
Miscellaneous honors
| Year | Organization | Award | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Howard University | Distinguished Achievement Award | Himself | Honored | [14] |
| 2006 | Richmond Virginia Seminary | Honorary Doctorate of Sacred Music | Honored | ||
| 2023 | President Joe Biden | President's Lifetime Achievement Award | Honored | [15] |
References
- ^ a b Risen, Clay (December 31, 2025). "Richard Smallwood, 77, Choral Leader and Composer of Gospel Hits, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
- ^ Shelley, Braxton D (2021). Healing for the Soul: Richard Smallwood, the Vamp, and the Gospel Imagination. Oxford University Press. p. 9.
- ^ McGinnis, Kelsey Kramer (January 15, 2026). "Died: Gospel Legend Richard Smallwood". Christianity Today.
- ^ "News Update". Ladywoo Ministry of Music. August 3, 2005.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Murray, Jawn (August 30, 2005). "Jubilant Journey". AOL Black Voices.
- ^ Alexander, Keith L. (July 23, 2015). "Millions of gospel fans know Richard Smallwood's music. But not his struggles". Washington Post. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ^ "Richard Smallwood, a soaring voice in gospel music, dies at 77". The Washington Post. December 30, 2025. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- ^ "Past Winners". Dove Awards. Enter 'Richard Smallwood' into the 'Search:' field to see list of awards. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ "Dove Award History". Archived from the original on February 21, 2025. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ "GMA Hall of Fame 2006 Inductees". Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ "Richard Smallwood". Grammy.com. Recording Academy. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ "Stellar Award History - Gospel Flava". Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ "15th Annual Stellar Award Results". GospelFlava.com.
- ^ "George Fox University Richard Smallwood biography". Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- ^ Sarah Hearn (December 6, 2023). "Richard Smallwood Tribute". Retrieved December 30, 2025.
External links
- Richard Smallwood on Myspace - (Official Richard Smallwood Site)
- Richard Smallwood at AllMusic
- Richard Smallwood discography at Discogs
- Photos of Smallwood's JourneyConcert from Landru Design
- Richard Smallwood at IMDb
- Interview (2024) by the Oral History of American Music (Yale University)
- Panel Discussion "Music in Mind: Richard Smallwood, Donald Lawrence, and Braxton Shelley in Conversation"; 2024 hosted by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music