Detroit-born brother and sister BeBe (Benjamin) and CeCe (Priscilla) Winans are part of the gospel-singing Winans family that also includes the Winans, their four brothers. As a duo, BeBe & CeCe maintain the gospel message, although their records have the production values and style of contemporary R&B. They released their debut album, BeBe &... [+] Read More

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Contemporary gospel vocalist and evangelist Beverly Crawford made her performing debut at the age of three, singing at her father's church; a few years later, she joined her siblings in a group called the Camp Sisters. A battle with cancer drew her closer to her faith, and in 1989 she and husband Todd Crawford founded the Potter's House... [+] Read More

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Led by featured vocalist Joe Pace, the Colorado Mass Choir surfaced in 1997 with the album Watch God Move, scoring a hit single with "Stir Up the Gift," they also earned the Stellar Award for New Artist of the Year. So Good! followed in 1998, and a year later the choir returned with It's My Time to Be Blessed. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

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A multi-instrumentalist, producer and vocalist for the soulful black gospel group Commissioned during the 1980s and '90s, Fred Hammond also became one of the most popular praise & worship leaders in the field. Born in Detroit, Hammond began singing with his church choir at the age of twelve. He played bass and sang with the Winans during the... [+] Read More

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With its roots in gospel, doo wop, and the sophisticated jazz-influenced singing groups of mid-century America like the Hi-Los, the a cappella vocal group Take 6 is both a throwback to an earlier, more genteel era of American music and a precursor for a number of black male pop groups of the '90s (most notably Boyz II Men). Its members include... [+] Read More

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Canada's Rankin Family got their start singing and dancing in their hometown of Mabou, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Pianist/fiddler John Morris, guitarist/vocalist Jimmy, and singers Raylene, Carol Jean (aka Cookie), and Heather developed a unique blend of Celtic traditionalism and contemporary folk and pop, dominated by the effortless... [+] Read More

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The Winans were pioneers in the field of contemporary gospel, updating the sound and style of traditional black gospel vocal groups for the urban contemporary age. While they weren't the first group to do so, they were probably the most important factor in popularizing the style, paving the way for countless urban-style gospel groups to follow... [+] Read More

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Another in the line of gospel artists putting the soul and fervor back in R&B music, Yolanda Adams was a school teacher in Houston during the mid-'80s and occasionally did modeling work. Her mother had studied music while at college, so Adams grew up listening to jazz and classical music as well as gospel artists such as James Cleveland and the... [+] Read More

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