Karen Clark Sheard

Infobox musical artist
Name = Karen Clark-Sheard


Img_capt =
Img_size = 450 x 300
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Karen Valencia Clark
Alias =
Born = Birth date and age|1960|11|15
Died =
Origin = Detroit, Michigan
Instrument = vocals, Keyboard, Organ, drums
Genre = gospel, urban gospel, CCM, rhythm and blues
Occupation = Singer, songwriter
Years_active = 1970-present
Label = Island Black Music, Elektra, Word
Associated_acts = The Clark Sisters
Kierra "Kiki" Sheard
Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark
Dorinda Clark Cole
Jacky Clark Chisholm Mattie Moss Clark J Moss
URL = [http://www.karenclarksheard.com KarenClarkSheard.com]
Current_members =
Past_members =

Karen Clark Sheard (born Karen Valencia Clark) is a three-time Grammy Award winning American gospel singer, songwriter, member of seminal group The Clark Sisters, and mother of contemporary gospel singer Kierra "Kiki" Sheard.

Biography

Karen Clark Sheard was born November 15, 1960. She has six older siblings :Leo, Jacky Clark Chisholm, Denise Clark-Bradford, Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark-Terrell, and Dorinda Clark Cole. Her parents are Pastor Elbert Clark and Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, a pioneering detroit based gospel choral director. Clark-Sheard is best known for being a member of iconic gospel group The Clark Sisters.

Personal life

On June 16, 1984, Karen Clark-Sheard wed John Drew Sheard, a minister. Her husband is senior pastor of Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ in Detroit. Together they have 2 children: Kierra (1987), who is also a gospel recording artist, and John Drew Sheard II (1989), a young musician and up-and-coming producer.

In 2001, Clark-Sheard was faced with a life-threatening crisis when a blood vessel burst during a scheduled hernia surgery. Her doctors only gave her a 2% chance of survival due to her complications. After the blood clot was surgically removed, Clark-Sheard fell into a coma. The coma lasted three and a half weeks [cite web|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2006/karenclarksheard-0206.html|title=Back From The Dead|publisher=Christianity Today|date=February 20, 2006|author=Taylor, LaTonya] , but Clark-Sheard made a miraculous [ [http://www.gospelcity.com/dynamic/artist-articles/interviews/54 Gospel City Interview] ] [ [http://www.christianmusicplanet.com/magazine/viewarticle.asp?id=525 Christian Music Planet] ] recovery.

Clark-Sheard recorded her second album "2nd Chance" (named so because of the "second chance" given to her by God) [cite web|url=http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur7588.cfm|title=Karen Clark Sheard Gets '2nd Chance'|publisher=EURweb.com|author=McIntyre, Donald and Kiel, Danna|date=August 1, 2002] , in 2002. Clark-Sheard's near-death experience is referenced in her daughter Kierra's song "You Don't Know". On February 10th, 2008, Karen won a Grammy for Best Gospel Song: Blessed & Highly Favored in which she wrote.

Career

Karen's involvement in the Island Inspirational All Stars' "Don't Give Up" in 1996 (along with Donald Lawrence, Hezekiah Walker, and Kirk Franklin) led to her signing with Island Records [cite web|url=http://www.gospelcity.com/dynamic/artist-articles/artists/36|title=Karen Clark Sheard|publisher=GospelCity.com|date=March 22, 2000] .

Her solo career began with the release of her debut album "Finally Karen" in 1997. The album, consisting of half studio recordings and half live recordings, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album in 1998. The set did however win the Lady Of Soul award for Best Gospel Album the same year [cite web|url=http://theenvelope.latimes.com/factsheets/awardsdb/env-awards-db-search,0,7169155.htmlstory?searchtype=person&query=finally+karen|title=Award Nominations at The Envelope|publisher=Los Angeles Times] .

After Yolanda Adams, Karen Clark-Sheard became the 2nd gospel artist to sign to Elektra Records. She released her Elektra debut album "2nd Chance" in 2002 led off by the single "Be Sure". Though Clark-Sheard was in excellent form vocally, the slick, progressive sound of the disc was not received well. The 2003 followup "The Heavens Are Telling" fared well, but came at an awkward time when Elektra Records was being dissolved into Atlantic Records. In 2005, after a bidding war with several labels, Karen Clark Sheard finally signed with Word Records and issued "It's Not Over", the following year.

Singers Mariah Carey, Faith Evans, Coko of SWV, Beyoncé, Blu Cantrell, and Fantasia all count Karen Clark-Sheard as one of their greatest vocal influences cite web|url=http://www.gospelflava.com/articles/karenclarksheardinterview2006.html|title=An interview with Karen Clark Sheard|author=Jones, Steven|publisher=GospelFlava.com] [cite web|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/artists/karenclarksheard.html|title=Karen Clark Sheard Biography] .

She is in the studio recording a new cd that is slated for release late 2008 early 2009.

Discography

Albums

"See also "

Other

This section documents Karen Clark Sheard's featured solo appearances. For The Clark Sisters' appearances, visit this section.

References

leaning on jesus

External links

* [http://www.theclarksisters.com/ Official website of The Clark Sisters]
* [http://www.youtube.com/TheClarkSistersTV Karen Clark Sheard Youtube Video Channel]
* [http://www.myspace.com/officiallykarenclarksheard Karen Clark Sheard Official MySpace]