Karen Clark Sheard
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Karen Valencia Clark Sheard (
née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Clark; born November 15, 1960) is an American
gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...
singer and songwriter. Clark-Sheard is the youngest member of gospel group the Clark Sisters, which was formed in 1973. She is also the mother of contemporary gospel singer and actress Kierra "Kiki" Sheard, with whom she frequently collaborates. She has released five solo albums and 17 with the Clark Sisters. During the hiatus of the Clark Sisters, Clark-Sheard recorded her debut studio album '' Finally Karen'' (1997), which spawned the single, "Balm in Gilead" (a re-recording of a song she originally recorded as part of the Clark Sisters in the 1980s for their ''Heart & Soul'' album) the R&B-tinged singles "Just for Me" and "Nothing Without You" (with
Faith Evans Faith Renée Evans (born June 10, 1973) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and actress. Born in Lakeland, Florida, and raised in New Jersey, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1991 in pursuit of a recording career. Evans initially performed as ...
). ''Finally Karen'' was among the highest-selling gospel albums of that year, and earned Clark-Sheard a Grammy Award nomination and a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for "Best Female Vocalist". Clark-Sheard then was hospitalized in 2001 after a blood vessel burst during a bariatric surgery, resulting in doctors giving her a 2% chance of survival. The experience inspired the title for her second album, '' 2nd Chance'' (2002). Clark-Sheard recorded two more live albums—'' The Heavens Are Telling'' (2003) and '' It's Not Over'' (2006)—before releasing '' All in One'' (2010), her second studio album. It debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' Gospel Chart and entered the ''Billboard'' 200, while its single "Prayed Up" peaked at number nine on the Gospel Songs chart. Singers
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
,
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
, and
Faith Evans Faith Renée Evans (born June 10, 1973) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and actress. Born in Lakeland, Florida, and raised in New Jersey, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1991 in pursuit of a recording career. Evans initially performed as ...
have named Clark Sheard and her sister Twinkie Clark as musical influences.


Biography


Early life and education

Clark-Sheard was born Karen Valencia Clark on November 15, 1960, in
Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
, the youngest child of Reverend Elbert Clark and Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, a gospel choral director. The youngest of six children, Clark-Sheard's siblings are Leo, Jacky, Denise, Elbernita "Twinkie" and Dorinda. Clark-Sheard began singing gospel with her sisters at age 5 in what became known as the Clark Sisters. For high school, Clark-Sheard attended
Mumford High School Samuel C. Mumford High School is a public high school located on the near-northwest side of Detroit, Michigan. It was operated by the Detroit Public Schools, and had been operated by the Education Achievement Authority of Michigan (EAA). DPS ...
in Detroit, Michigan, graduating in 1978.


Career


The Clark Sisters


Debut album

Clark-Sheard's involvement in the Island Inspirational All Stars' " Don't Give Up" in 1996 (along with Donald Lawrence, Hezekiah Walker, and
Kirk Franklin Kirk Dewayne Franklin (born January 26, 1970) is an American Gospel music, gospel musician. One of the List of best-selling gospel music artists, best-selling gospel music artists, his accolades include 20 Grammy Awards. ''Variety (magazine), Var ...
) led to her signing with Island Records. Clark-Sheard's solo career began with the release of her debut album '' Finally Karen'' in 1997. The album, consisting of half studio recordings and half live recordings, was nominated for a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album in 1998, won Clark-Sheard the Lady of Soul award for Best Gospel Album that same year and peaked at #28 and #2 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and U.S. ''Billboard'' Gospel Albums charts respectively.


''2nd Chance''

After
Yolanda Adams Yolanda Yvette Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million albu ...
, Clark-Sheard became the 2nd gospel artist to sign to
Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the ...
. She released her Elektra debut album '' 2nd Chance'' in 2002 (so named because of the "second chance" she was given by
God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
after her near-death experience – which is referenced in her daughter Kierra's song " You Don't Know"). The album was led off by the single "Be Sure". The album reached #82 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200, #27 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart (her highest placements on those charts to date) and #2 on the U.S. ''Billboard Gospel Albums''.


''The Heavens Are Telling''

The 2003 follow-up '' The Heavens Are Telling'' (exactly six years after her heralded debut album ''Finally Karen'') came when Elektra Records was being dissolved into
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...
, and failed to match the commercial success of Clark-Sheard's previous albums, peaking 106 places below ''2nd Chance'' at #188 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 – though it managed to reach #44 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, a high #3 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Gospel Albums chart and was her first album to chart on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Christian Albums chart, where it peaked at #11.


''It's Not Over''

In 2005, after a bidding war with several labels, Clark-Sheard signed with Word Records and issued '' It's Not Over'' (originally titled ''Finally Karen Returns''), the sequel to her 1997 debut album '' Finally Karen'' was set to be released November 15, 2005, Clark-Sheard's 45th birthday, but was delayed and released the following year. Most of ''It's Not Over'' was recorded in 2005 at Karen's home church in Detroit, Michigan, while the last three tracks were studio-recorded. It was Clark-Sheard's first solo album not to feature guest vocals from her daughter (Kierra Sheard) and was the first to include production from Israel Houghton – who handled the majority of the project. It charted at #124 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 and #4 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. As the songwriter, on February 10, 2008, Clark-Sheard won the
Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song The Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the gospel music genre. Honors in seve ...
for "Blessed & Highly Favored" sung by the Clark Sisters.


Karew Records, fifth album and present

In early 2009, Clark-Sheard and her husband, J.Drew Sheard, partnered together and launched a new record label entitled Karew Records (Karew being a combination of both their forenames: Karen and Drew, pronounced: Kuh-rue); Distribution is via EMI Gospel. The Clark Sisters' Christmas album – which was released in October 2009 – was the first project to be released from Karew Records. On January 31, 2010, Clark-Sheard won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance for ''Wait on the Lord'' which she was featured with
Donnie McClurkin Donald Andrew McClurkin Jr. (born November 9, 1959) is an American gospel singer and minister. He has won three Grammy Awards, ten Stellar Awards, two BET Awards, two Soul Train Awards, one Dove Award and one NAACP Image Awards. He is one of t ...
. On April 6, 2010, Clark-Sheard released her fifth album (and first on her newly founded own record label – Karew Records) titled '' All in One'', which features additional vocals from her daughter Kierra Sheard, son J. Drew Sheard II, sister Dorinda Clark Cole, niece Angel Chisholm and cousin J. Moss. Her first all-studio-recorded album since her 2002 release '' 2nd Chance'', '' All in One'' debuted and peaked at #98 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 (her second highest charting on that chart to date) and #3 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Gospel Albums chart, while the album's lead single – "Prayed Up" – peaked at #9 and stayed over 22 weeks on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Gospel Songs chart. Clark-Sheard released her latest single "Sunday A.M" in 2014, which was nominated for the Best Gospel Song in the
57th Annual Grammy Awards The 57th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 8, 2015, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The show was broadcast live by CBS at 5:00 p.m. PST ( UTC−8). Rapper LL Cool J hosted the show for the fourth consecutive ti ...
. In 2015, Clark-Sheard released her sixth album, '' Destined to Win''. The album would become Clark-Sheard's highest charting and fastest selling album in her solo career, as well as her first live album since ''It's Not Over'' in 2006. In 2019, Clark-Sheard was in talks to play Kitty Parham, a member of the Famous Ward Singers in
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...
's biopic ''
Respect Respect, also called esteem, is a positive feeling or deferential action shown towards someone or something considered important or held in high esteem or regard. It conveys a sense of admiration for good or valuable qualities. It is also th ...
''. Karen was portrayed by her daughter, Kierra Sheard in the Lifetime TV biopic ''The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel'', released April 11, 2020.


Personal life


Marriage and family

Clark-Sheard married Bishop J. Drew Sheard, a Detroit-based minister, on June 16, 1984. Clark-Sheard serves as the First Lady of Greater Emmanuel Institutional
Church of God in Christ The Church of God in Christ (COGIC) is an international Christian perfection#Holiness Pentecostalism, Holiness–Pentecostal Christian denomination, and a large Pentecostal denomination in the United States. Although an international and multi ...
in
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
, where her husband is senior pastor. In March 2021, Bishop Sheard was elected to serve as the Presiding Bishop of the COGIC denomination, thus making her the First Lady of the COGIC denomination at-large as well. Together they have two children: Kierra "Kiki" Sheard-Kelly (1987) and John Drew "J. Drew" Sheard II (1989). Another pregnancy ended in a stillbirth.


Health

In 2001, Clark-Sheard was faced with a life-threatening crisis when a
blood vessel Blood vessels are the tubular structures of a circulatory system that transport blood throughout many Animal, animals’ bodies. Blood vessels transport blood cells, nutrients, and oxygen to most of the Tissue (biology), tissues of a Body (bi ...
burst during a scheduled bariatric surgery. Her doctors gave her only a 2% chance of survival. After the
blood clot A thrombus ( thrombi) is a solid or semisolid aggregate from constituents of the blood (platelets, fibrin, red blood cells, white blood cells) within the circulatory system during life. A blood clot is the final product of the blood coagulatio ...
was surgically removed, Clark-Sheard fell into a
coma A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to Nociception, respond normally to Pain, painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal Circadian rhythm, sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate ...
. The coma lasted around 3 1/2 weeks but Clark-Sheard says she made a miraculous recovery. Kierra Sheard explains this situation in her song " You Don't Know" from her debut album '' I Owe You''.


Tours and concerts

* The Clark Sisters: Bringing It Back Home (1989) * Finally Karen (1997) * The Clark Sisters: Live One Last Time Tour (2007–2008) * Festival of Praise (2016–2017) * McDonald's Celebration of Gospel (2016–2017) * The Clark Sisters Virtual Experience (2020) * The Reunion Tour (2023) * The Reunion Tour 2024 (2024)


Filmography

*1983 ''Gospel'' (documentary) *2010 ''Blessed & Cursed'' (movie) *2011–2012 '' Church Girl'' (stage play) *2012 ''For Richer or Poorer'' (stage play) *2013 "The Sheards" *2013 "BET Celebration of Gospel" *2014 " The BET Honors" *2017 "Xscape: Still Kickin It" ( Xscape Rocks the Stage, Episode 4) *2020 '' The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel'' (movie) *2021 ''Miracles Across 125th Street'' *2021 ''Song and Story: Amazing Grace''


Discography


Studio albums

* '' Finally Karen'' (1997) * '' 2nd Chance'' (2002) * '' The Heavens Are Telling'' (2003) * '' It's Not Over'' (2006) * '' All in One'' (2010) * '' Destined to Win''(2015) * ''Still Karen'' (2024)


Awards


BET Awards

The
BET Awards The BET Awards are an American award show that was established in 2001 by the BET, Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate Black person, Black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which ...
are awarded annually by the
Black Entertainment Television Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting Black American audiences. It is the flagship channel of the BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. Originally launched ...
network. Karen Clark Sheard has received 3 nominations.


Dove Awards

The Dove Awards are awarded annually by the
Gospel Music Association The Gospel Music Association (GMA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of gospel music. As of 2011, there are about 4,000 members worldwide. The GMA's membership c ...
. Clark Sheard has won 3 awards from 13 nominations.


Grammy Awards

The
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
are awarded annually by the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. (NARAS), doing business as The Recording Academy, is an American Learned society, learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is widely kno ...
. Karen Clark Sheard has won 5 awards from 13 nominations, including a Lifetime Achievement award.


NAACP Image Awards

The
NAACP Image Awards The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
are awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (
NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...
). Clark Sheard has won 2 awards from 6 nominations.


Soul Train Awards

The
Soul Train Music Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards ceremony which honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the production company of '' Soul Train'', the program from which it takes its name, and ...
are awarded annually. Karen Clark Sheard has won 1 award from 5 nominations.


Stellar Awards

The
Stellar Awards A Stellar Award is an award presented by SAGMA to recognize achievements in the gospel music industry.Sagma
The Stel ...
are awarded annually by SAGMA. Karen Clark Sheard has received 12 awards and 2 honorary awards.


References


External links


Official website of the Clark Sisters
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheard, Karen Clark 1960 births Living people Grammy Award winners Singers from Detroit 21st-century American singers 20th-century American singers American gospel singers African-American women singers Members of the Church of God in Christ American Pentecostals African-American Christians 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women singers