26 Black Female Gospel Singers With Voices Sent From Above

Vickie Winans

Image Source: Instagram

Gospel recording artist Vickie Winans began singing at the age of 8 with a group known as the International Sounds of Deliverance.

Winans was married three times and divorced twice. When she married Marvin Winans, she began considering a career in music. She joined Winans Part II, which included BeBe, CeCe and Daniel Winans.

Alas, Winans Part II never took off as BeBe and CeCe left to join the PTL Singers. But this gave Marvin enough leverage to get Winans a recording contract. Be Encouraged, her solo album, became a major gospel hit in 1987.

At 66, Winans is still active as a musician.

Twinkie Clark

Image source: Instagram

Gospel singer, songwriter, composer, musician and evangelist Twinkie Clark is most known for her tenure with The Clark Sisters. She’s also a member of the Hammond Organ Hall of Fame.

Twinkie is the leader of The Clark Sisters, which is most known for its hits “You Brought the Sunshine”, “Jesus is a Love Song”, “Expect Your Miracle” and “Is My Living In Vain”, which she wrote.

As a solo artist, she recorded several albums. Clark is still active in her musical career.

Dottie Peoples

Award winning gospel singer Dottie Peoples started singing at an early age and toured with gospel pioneer Dorothy Norwood (of The Caravans – also see next entry on this list) after finishing high school. She also joined a jazz ensemble and performed across the country but decided to return to her roots.

Peoples has been a star in the gospel music industry for over 30 years and has been called the “Songbird of the South.”

Peoples’ career has been long and illustrious to say the least. She is considered a leader among female gospel greats and has an honorary Doctorate in Sacred Music from Global Evangelical Christian College.

Dorothy Norwood

Gospel singer and songwriter Dorothy Norwood began touring with her family at the age of 8. In 1956, she started singing with Mahalia Jackson. In the early 60s she was a member of The Caravans and in the mid-60s, she launched her solo career with the gold-certified Johnny and Jesus.

Norwood’s 1991 album, Live with the Northern California GMWA Mass Choir made it to No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Forty.

In 2012, Norwood created her own record label, Dorothy Norwood Music Group. She is still active in music.

Beverly Crawford

Image source: Instagram

Gospel vocalist Beverly Crawford is most known for singing with the New Life Singers on Bobby Jones Gospel. Her songs, “Praise Jehovah”, “Run to the Water”, “He’s Done Enough” and “It’s About Time For A Miracle” are also well-established.

Crawford began singing at 3 and joined her sisters as a member of the Camp Sisters.

In the late 80s, her husband, Todd Crawford, recorded a video of her singing with her sisters and sent it off to various gospel companies. Bobby Jones Gospel responded, and the Camp Sisters were invited to sing on his show.

She was a favorite on the show, and she launched her solo career in 1995 with Jesus, Precious King.

LaShun Pace

Gospel singer-songwriter LaShun Pace started performing in the mid-70s as a solo artist and later with her siblings in The Anointed Pace Sisters.

She toured with Rev. Gene Martin and the Action Revival Team and recorded In the House of the Lord with Dr. Jonathan Greer and the Cathedral of Faith Church of God in Christ Choirs for Savoy Records. The label would go onto sign Pace as a solo artist.

She would then go onto chart in Billboard and continued to release more albums. Pace authored an autobiography, For My Good But For His Glory in 2003 and was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2007.

Albertina Walker

Image source: YouTube

The late Albertina Walker was a gospel singer, songwriter, actress and humanitarian and has often been called the “Queen of Gospel Music.”

At an early age, Walker began singing in the youth choir at West Point Baptist Church. She would then go onto join various gospel groups.

In the early 50s, Walker founded a gospel music group known as The Caravans (the previously mentioned Shirley Caesar and Dorothy Norwood were also members). In the mid-70s, Walker would record a series of solo projects on different labels.

During her six-decade musical career, Walker earned a variety of awards and honors, including a Grammy award, three Stellar awards, three Doves and more.

Sinach

Image source: Sinach

Sinach is a Nigerian-born gospel music singer, songwriter and worship leader at Loveworld. Her hits include “Way Maker”, “I Know Who I Am”, “Great Are You Lord”, “Rejoice”, “He Did It Again”, “Precious Jesus”, “The Name of Jesus”, “This Is My Season” and more.

In 2019, Sinach became the first gospel singer from Nigeria to get over 100 million views on a YouTube video. She also became the first Gospel Artist from Africa to tour India the same year.

Sinach released Chapter One in 2008, and her song “This Is Your Season” won the Song of the Year award.

At the age of 46, with nine albums and five awards to her name, one can’t help but sense a bright future for this accomplished singer.

Black Female Gospel Singers, Final Thoughts

So, there you have it – 26 incredibly talented and highly successful women, all with voices sent from above to reach the world.

How many of these singers did you know by name? Who is your favorite? Were there any surprises? Are there any singers you’d love to see added to the list?

These women are all amazing in their own right – not just because of their talent, but also because of the stand they’ve made for the better of humanity. As you’ve seen, several of them are civil rights activists or humanitarians.

Music is powerful medium that transcends language. To that end, we can’t underestimate the impact the women above have made and the difference some will continue to make.

You may like our list of black female Opera singers too, of black women reggae singers.

It’s time to put on some gospel music and celebrate the amazing singers God has blessed us with. Praise be to Him!