The Clark Sisters - Biography
By J Poet
The Grammy winning Clark Sisters are the daughters of Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, one of the most influential gospel singers in the history of Gospel music. Dr. Clark trained singers like Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Esther Smith, Commissioned, the Rev. Rance Allen, and her daughters, The Clark Sisters. Dr. Clark was the first choir director to have an ensemble sing in three-part harmony, by creating separate soprano, alto and tenor sections, a practice much used today.
Dr. Clark grew up in Selma, AL during the days of segregation. She was playing piano at age six and by 12 she was accompanying her mother’s choir at the Church of Christ and Prayer. She went to Selma University and studied classical music and choral singing. In 1947, she moved to Detroit and became a member of Greater Love Tabernacle Church of God in Christ. She soon became Minister of Music for both the Southwest Michigan Jurisdiction and Bailey Temple Church of God in Christ, under Bishop John Seth Bailey. Dr. Clark trained choirs all over the country and recorded Going to Heaven to Meet the King (1958 Savoy) Billed to Mattie Moss Clark presents Southwest Michigan State Choir, Church of God in Christ. It was one of the first Gospel choir albums. Dr. Clark recorded the Southwest Michigan State Choir, Church of God in Christ regularly in the 60s. Her albums include Wonderful Wonderful (1963 Savoy), None But The Pure In Heart (1964 Savoy), Salvation is Free (1965 Savoy), A Closer Walk With Thee (1966 Savoy), Show Me The Way (1967 Savoy) and Lord, Renew My Spirit (1968 Savoy.)
Dr. Clarke’s daughters Elbernita, Jacky, Karen, Dorinda, and Denise were born in Detroit and grew up singing in their mother’s choirs. Elbernita was a gifted keyboard player and songwriter from her earliest days and the sisters were well known in church circles during the 60s. They made their first record as a self-contained unit, Jesus Has A Lot To Give (1973 Billesse) while they were still teenagers. The sanctified power of their vocals and Elbernita’s songwriting were already impressive. Dr. Mattie Moss Clark Presents The Clark Sisters (1973 Billesse) was even more energetic and got the Sisters signed to Sound of Gospel Records. Their next four albums began their ascent to gospel music superstardom. Unworthy (1976 Sound of Gospel) opens with Elbernita’s soulful piano and the voice of their mother, and features their stunning performance of “I Can Do All Things Through Christ,” now a gospel standard. Count It All Joy (1977 Sound of Gospel) open with “A Praying Spirit” one of their signature songs, and New Dimensions of Christmas Carols (1978 Sound of Gospel), and He Gave Me Nothing To Lose (But All To Gain) (1979 Sound of Gospel) were also strong sellers.
The Clark Sisters’ unique sound was forged by the interplay of their voices - Jacky’s deep mellow tone, Dorinda’s jazzy scat singing and improvisations, and Karen’s ability to hit and sustain high notes - and their use of high melismas. Their skill at sliding up and down the scale to ornament lines with high trills and almost baritone growls was unmatched. They also used elements drawn from blues, jazz, classical, swing and disco into their music.
In 1980, their live album Is My Living In Vain (Sound of Gospel), topped the gospel charts for a year and produced the giant hits “Expect Your Miracle” and “Is My Living In Vain.” You Brought the Sunshine (1980 Sound of Gospel) put them over the top. Two years later, a remixed version of the hit “Sunshine” was a mainstream club hit and the album went gold. Sunshine was released by Sound of Gospel on CD as a twofer with Unworthy in 2002. Their last album with all five sisters on board was Sincerely (1983 New Birth), which included the hits "Name It And Claim It" and "World." In 1981 they were featured in the David Leivick/Frederick Ritzenberg documentary Gospel, with James Cleveland, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Walter Hawkins and Shirley Caesar.
After Denise left the group to study for the ministry and marry, they continued on as a quartet. Their albums included the #5 album Heart & Soul (1986 Rejoice/Word), which included the pop hit "Time Out” and the gospel classic “Balm in Gilead,” Conqueror (1988 Rejoice/Word) which topped the Gospel and Contemporary Christian charts, and featured one of he first gospel/hip-hop collaborations with Melle Mel rapping on “Computers Rule The World,” and the live album Bringing It Back Home (1991 Rejoice/ Word), which was another commercial triumph. The best cuts from the Rejoice albums are collected on Encore (2008 Dexterity/Rhino.)
Elbernita left next, and as a trio the sisters made the Top 10 Gospel set Miracle (1992 Sparrow, 2007 EMI Gospel) with producers BeBe Winans and Michael Powell. The were the first gospel act to tour South Africa and contributed to the Grammy winning album Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration (1992 Word) performing with Stevie Wonder, Take 6, Dianne Reeves and others. After Dr. Clarke died in 1994, the Clark Sisters began solo careers, although all frequently sang together to support each other’s efforts. The Clarke Sisters reunited in 2006 for Live... One Last Time (2007 EMI Gospel), released as both a CD and DVD. The album won two Grammys: Best Traditional Gospel album and Best Gospel Performance for the track “Blessed and Highly Favored.” They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999.