Dorinda Clark Cole

Infobox musical artist
Name = Dorinda Clark Cole


Img_capt = Dorinda Clark Cole on the cover of her second album "The Rose of Gospel" (GospoCentric, 2005)
Img_size = 200
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Dorinda Grace Clark
Alias =
Born = October 19, 1957 [ [http://clarklounge.suddenlaunch3.com/index.cgi?board=clark&action=display&num=1161255854 The Clark Lounge] ]
Died =
Origin = Detroit, Michigan
Instrument = vocals, piano
Genre = gospel, jazz
Occupation = singer, songwriter
Years_active = 1973-Present
2003-Present Solo
Label = GospoCentric Records
Associated_acts = The Clark Sisters
Karen Clark Sheard
Twinkie Clark
Jacky Clark Chisholm
URL = http://www.theclarksisters.com/ http://www.dorindaclarkcole.net/
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Dorinda Clark Cole (born Dorinda Grace Clark) is a two-time Grammy Award winning American evangelist and gospel singer. She is best known as a member of The Clark Sisters and as a daughter of pioneering choral director Mattie Moss Clark.

Biography

Early life

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Clark Cole began singing at an early age with her sisters Karen, Twinkie, Jacky, and Denise. The sisters sang in their pastor father's church and usually performed songs written and composed by their mother. Clark Cole, who is referred to as the "jazzy sister" of the group, helped develop what is known as "The Clark Sound", which often features high and fast melismas, riffs, runs, and soulful growls. Dorinda sang lead on "Overdose Of The Holy Ghost", the B-side to The Clark Sisters' biggest single "You Brought the Sunshine" [cite web|url=http://www.theclarksisters.com/dorinda.html|title=Dorinda Clark Cole (Biography)|publisher=TheClarkSisters.com|author=Terron Austin]

Recording career

Clark Cole's self-titled solo debut, released in 2002, won two Stellar Awards and a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award (Best Female Gospel Artist). The album featured the hit single "I'm Coming Out". Her second album, "The Rose of Gospel", was released in 2005. The live portions of both albums were produced by Asaph Ward, famous for his work with Kim Burrell who counts Dorinda as well as the Clark Sisters as a direct vocal influence.

Dorinda was featured on the title track of Kirk Franklin's "Hero" album. [cite web|url=http://www.gospelflava.com/reviews/kirkfranklinhero.html|title=Kirk Franklin: Hero (album review)|author=Stan North|publisher=GospelFlava.com]

After being pushed back from a prematurely stated date in fall 2007, [cite web|url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Dorindas_Third/29192/p1/|title=Dorinda's Third: Dorinda Clark Cole readies 'Yesterday' album|publisher=Cross Rhythms] Dorinda Clark Cole's third solo CD "Take It Back" was released on April 15, 2008. The album included the songs "Faithful," "Praise Your Way Out," "Yesterday," "It's Ok," "No Weapon," "If I Were," "Got To Hold On," and the current radio single "Take It Back." [ [http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/7514691/a/Yesterday.htm Yesterday] on CD Universe] Producers Alex "Asaph" Ward, PAJAM, and Rodney Jerkins contributed to the project. [cite web|url=http://theclarksisters.com/|title=The Clark Sisters News|accessdate=2008-02-19]

Personal life

Clark-Cole is married to Greg Cole, who serves as an elder in the Church of God in Christ.

In addition to being a recording artist and evangelist, Clark-Cole is a prominent figure in the Church of God in Christ, serving as an assistant supervisor of women, for the Michigan North Central Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ and vice-president of the COGIC's International Music Department. She is an administrator and instructor at the Clark Conservatory of Music in Detroit (founded by Mattie Moss Clark in 1979), and is an administrator at the Greater Emmanuel Institutional COGIC, pastored by her brother-in-law, J. Drew Sheard (Karen's husband).

In 1999, as founder and CEO of Lifeline Productions, Inc., she created an annual Singers & Musicians Conference. Through this conference it is her goal to educate a new generation of minstrels of the importance of “keeping ministry in the music” by offering various activities including daily workshops and evening worship services featuring from artists whose ministries have gone beyond ministering in song.

Dorinda says that if she did not have a career in music that she would be "dancing on Broadway," and her dream duet would be "to sing with Bette Midler, Cher and Celine Dion" [cite web|url=http://www.gospelflava.com/articles/insider-dorinda.html|title=Insider with Dorinda Clark Cole|author=Clark, Melanie|publisher=Gospelflava.com|month=June | year=2002] .

Discography

Albums

* "Dorinda Clark Cole" (2002)
* "Live From Houston: The Rose of Gospel" (2005)
* "Take It Back" (2008)

ingles

* "No Not One (featuring J Moss)" (2002)
* "I'm Coming Out" (2002)
* Great Is The Lord" (2005)
* "So Many Times" (2005)
* "Take It Back" (2008)

Other

* "Hero (featuring Dorinda Clark Cole)" - Kirk Franklin (from "Hero")
* "Tis So Sweet" - Dorinda Clark Cole (from "Build A Bridge")
* "Higher Ground" - Missy Elliott, Karen Clark Sheard, Kim Burrell, Mary Mary, Dorinda Clark Cole, and Yolanda Adams (from "Miss E... So Addictive") (Elektra, 2001)

Videography

* "Dorinda Clark Cole Live" (2003)
* "Live From Houston: The Rose of Gospel" (2007)

References

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/dorindaclarkcole Dorinda Clark Cole on MySpace]
* [http://www.myspace.com/dorindaclarkcolefanclub Dorinda Clark Cole Fan Club on Myspace]
* [http://theclarksisters.com/flash.html The Clark Sisters' Official Website (Source of Dorinda Clark Cole's biography)]
* [http://www.gospocentric.com GospoCentric Records Official Website]
* [http://www.dorindaclarkcole.net Dorinda Clark Cole Official Site]
* [http://www.singersandmusicians.com Dr. Dorinda Clark Cole's Annual Singers and Musicians Conference Official Site]