Karen Clark Sheard
Grammy Award winner Karen Clark Sheard is Prayed Up, according to the title of her hot new single that is burning up the Billboard gospel charts. Her latest project entitled All in One was released April 6 on her own label, KaRew Records, a venture with her husband, Dr. J Drew Sheard.
As Sheard, of the famed iconic gospel group The Clark Sisters, sings the good news, her message as a Christian artist is clear.
“You can come and join us and God can make the change in your life,” she said. “Look today that gospel music is being taken to another phrase. We cannot be confined to the four walls of the church. Gospel artists need to walk though the doors and represent!”
Sheard, as other contemporary gospel recording artists are, is enjoying crossover success and her music is enjoyed in secular circles.
“It feels good because I feel like we’re making a difference. Their faces are like ‘yes,’” the multi-award winning singer said of singing before secular audiences. “When I did my last thing those people stood up like they were in church and just went into a praise. It shows that when the power of God and the anointing is there it makes a difference.”
Sheard offers words of encouragement to aspiring youth.
“I will encourage them to hold on to your dreams,” she said. “I prayed that I would be a big vehicle to make that dream come true and be an example and here I am with a record label to help make that dream come true. … Writing is the best thing you can ever do. I learned that. Hold on to your hopes and dreams, go into that studio, get some good musician and sing and God will run you into the right people.”
The Clark family’s musical dynasty continues with Karen’s daughter, the Grammy-nominated, Kierra “Kiki” Sheard.
“My daughter has a clothing line. She has a plan and doing it all on her own-Mamajik clothing line which will be launched later this year. My stuff gonna’ be in Nieman Marcus and all of those places…I am so proud of her.”
The gospel diva was shy to admit that the closeknit family does struggle with a little competition at times.
“Sometimes. But when we get together it’s a little bit of competition. I think it’s more so the support. If you get it we’re rooting for you, if you don’t we’re there…long as it’s in the bloodline-somewhere it’s gonna’ be ours,” Sheard said, smiling. “When we were up for our Grammy, J Moss flew up and didn’t tell us anything and said I knew ya’ll was gonna’ get it…that’s why I came. He said I’m just here to support you.”
Her latest project, All in One, is available in stores and on karewrecords.com
“Remember you are blessed by the Best!”
Effie Rolfe is a radio personality and the religion entertainment columnist for the Chicago Defender. Email her at effie@theinspirationalcafe.com
Copyright 2010 Chicago Defender.
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