Twinkie Clark

Early life

Born to Mattie Moss Clark and Pastor Elbert Clark in Detroit, Michigan, Clark began her tutelage in music under the direction of her mother, very early in life. From the age of 13, she began touring nationally with her mother, ministering and training choirs in three-part vocal harmony.^[2] In 1967, she made her recording debut as a featured vocalist alongside her mother, sister Denise Clark, and Dolores Jones on the Southwest Michigan State Choir of the Church Of God in Christ's "He Will Supply Your Need", from the album A Closer Walk with Thee.^[3] Clark later received formal music education at Howard University in Washington, D.C.^[2]

The Clark Sisters

Since their formation in 1973, Clark has been the leader, principal songwriter, and producer of the gospel group the Clark Sisters, which includes sisters Jacky Clark Chisholm, Dorinda Clark Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard (sister Denise Clark Bradford departed the group in 1986).^[4] The group achieved their biggest success with the mainstream, crossover hit "You Brought the Sunshine (Into My Life)" in 1983, which peaked within the top 20 of Billboard's Gospel and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts and hit a top 30 peak on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.^[5][6][7] Other hit songs include, "Is My Living in Vain", "Expect Your Miracle" and "Jesus is a Love Song", all written by Clark.^[8] Receiving their first Grammy nomination at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards for Sincerely (1982) in the Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group category, they received subsequent nominations for their follow-ups, Heart & Soul (1986) and Conqueror (1988), for Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo, Group, Choir or Chorus at the 30th and 31st Annual Grammy Awards. In 1990, the group received its first Grammy nomination for a live album when Bringing it Back Home (1989) was nominated for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards.^[9] In 2007, the Clark Sisters were awarded three Grammys at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards: Best Gospel Song and Best Gospel Performance for "Blessed & Highly Favored"^[10] and Best Traditional Gospel Album for its parent album Live: One Last Time,^[11][12] which topped both the Billboard Gospel Albums and Christian Music Video charts.^[13]

In 2016, the group was honored at the Essence festival.^[14] In 2020, it was announced that the Clark Sisters would be honored with the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award at the 35th Annual Stellar Awards.^[15] The same year, a Lifetime biographical film, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel was released, produced by Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, and Missy Elliott, and became the highest rated original movie release by Lifetime in four years.^[16]

Solo career

Clark has recorded several solo albums. Her debut studio album, Praise Belongs to God (1979), was ranked at No. 28 by Billboard on the 1981 year-end Spiritual Albums chart and followed shortly by Ye Shall Receive Power (1981).^[17] In 1992, she released Comin' Home and The Masterpiece in 1996. Also in 1996, she made her live solo debut in a collaborative album Twinkie Clark-Terrell Presents the Florida A&M University Gospel Choir, which was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart, where it was placed by Billboard as the 34th Top Gospel Album of 1996.^[18] In 2002, she released Twinkie Clark & Friends...Live in Charlotte which received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album.^[19][10] In 2004, it was followed by the Asaph Ward-produced Home Once Again: Live in Detroit, which became her highest-charting album on Billboard's Gospel Albums chart and also appeared on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In 2011 and 2013, Clark released With Humility and Live & Unplugged respectively on Larry Clark Gospel, before releasing a collaborative album with Larry Clark (the son of her sister Denise Clark Bradford), The Generations in 2020.^[20]

Musical influence

Clark has been inspired by different genres of music, including jazz, reggae, classical, funk, and blues, and she lists artists such as Stevie Wonder, Thomas Whitfield, Walter Hawkins, Edwin Hawkins, Andraé Crouch, Charles Nicks, Aretha Franklin, and her mother, Mattie Moss Clark, as musical influences.^[2][1]

Legacy

Artists such as Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans and also her sister, Karen Clark-Sheard have cited Clark as a major influence on their singing and vocal style and have also sampled her music in various songs of their own.^[21][22]

Clark is principally credited as the originator of "The C.O.G.I.C. Shout Sound".^[23] She is a BMI Gospel Trailblazer honoree and the recipient of multiple Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the recipient of an honorary doctorate of sacred music from the Christian Bible Institute and Seminary (CBIS).^[24]

Studio albums

EPs

Live albums

Compilation albums

Singles

as a lead artist

as a featured artist

Album appearances

BET Awards

The BET Awards are awarded annually by the Black Entertainment Television network. Clark has received two nominations.

BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards

The BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards are awarded annually. Clark has been recognized twice.^[107][108]

Dove Awards

The Dove Awards are awarded annually by the Gospel Music Association. Clark has won 2 awards from 10 nominations.^[109][110]

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Clark has won 3 awards from 8 nominations, including a Lifetime Achievement award.^[12][111]

NAACP Image Awards

The NAACP Image Awards are awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Clark has won two awards from four nominations.

Soul Train Awards

The Soul Train Music Awards are awarded annually. Clark has received three nominations.

Stellar Awards

The Stellar Awards are awarded annually by SAGMA. Clark has received 8 awards and 2 honorary awards.^[113][114]

Miscellaneous honors