The Clark Sisters

The Clark Sisters, the American gospel vocal group consisting of four sisters: Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark-Terrell, Jacky Clark Chisholm, Dorinda Clark-Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard. A fifth sister, Denise Clark Bradford, no longer performs with the group. The Clark Sisters are the daughters of legendary gospel musician and choral director Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. They are credited for helping to bring gospel music to the mainstream and are considered as pioneers of contemporary gospel. Their biggest crossover hits include: "Is My Living in Vain?" "Hallelujah," "He Gave Me Nothing to Lose," "Endow Me," their hit song "Jesus Is A Love Song," "Pure Gold," "Expect a Miracle,"and their largest mainstream crossover gold certified, "You Brought the Sunshine." Some of the Clark Sister's greatest classics dominated Billboard's R & B and gospel charts during the '70s and '80s. Their albums have sold millions, paving the way for newcomers in gospel to continue to take gospel mainstream such as Detroit's own The Winans Family, including Be Be & Ce Ce Winans, Commissioned, Kirk Franklin, Trin-i-tee 5:7, Mary Mary, and many more contemporary gospel artists. The Clark Sisters have won two Grammy Awards. Despite similarity in names, there is no connection with the 1940s/1950's jazz quartet "TheOriginal Clark Sisters" (also known as The Sentimentalists when they recorded with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra). With 16 albums to their credit and millions-upon-millions in sales, the Clark Sisters are the largest selling female gospel group in the history of gospel music.

The Clark Sisters were born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. They each began singing at an early age and by the late 1960s they were all performing together in church services, usually singing songs written and arranged by their mother. A few years later, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark turned over control of the group to Twinkie, who would then go on to write, arrange, conduct, and produce all of the Clark Sisters' recordings. In 1973, the sisters recorded their first album, Jesus Has A Lot To Give, on their uncle's local label Billesse Records.^[2]

The following year, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark Presents The Clark Sisters was released and people around Detroit began to take notice of the group. The Clark Sisters signed to Sound of Gospel Records in 1974. Under this association, the group released albums such as Unworthy,Count It All Joy, and He Gave Me Nothing to Lose. It was not until the early 1980s that The Clark Sisters began to become the phenomenon that they are now. Their popularity soared with the release of the live recording Is My Living In Vain. The first live recording by The Clark Sisters spent an entire year at number one on Billboard's Gospel Music chart. Opening with the bluesy title track, each sister vocally declares that their dedication to Christ is not a useless effort. The innovative "Haya" was funky enough to find its way into a Tonex produced track over two decades later. Songs such as "Pure Gold" and "They Were Overcome" were derived straight from the word of God. Deep faith is roused by Karen Clark's positively possessed lead on "Speak Lord" while the call to worship is raised on the emphatically delivered "Now Is The Time". Another hit from this release "Expect Your Miracle" is still a staple on Sunday mornings in black churches across the country.

In 1983, the Clark Sisters were invited to perform at the Grammy Awards. It was a handclapping performance, but the church did not approve of it. The church told their mother, Mattie Moss Clark, that she should not perform with her girls again. There were more problems closer to home.