Roy Keith Pringle (born August 6, 1952) is an American

gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music vary according to culture and social context. Gospel music is compo ...

ian and organist, who is the founder of Pentecostal Community Choir. His first album, "Let Everything That Has Breath Praise the Lord", was released in 1979. He went on to release more albums with Savoy Records, Hopesong Records, Heartwarming Records, Muscle Shoals Records,

Malaco Records Malaco Records is an American independent record label based in Jackson, Mississippi, United States, that has been the home of various major blues and gospel acts, such as Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Bland, Latimore, Z. Z. Hill, Denise LaSalle, ...

, and Platinum Entertainment. Five of these albums would chart on the ''Billboard'' Gospel Albums chart. He received 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 ...

-nomination for the song "Call Him Up" that was on the 1980 album "True Victory".

Early life

Roy Keith Pringle was born on August 6, 1952, 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 ...

, who was reared in the Church of God in Christ, where at around sixteen years old the New Bethel Young People's Choir had him be their organist. He would graduate from Northwestern High School, and move to

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

for a time, then he would finally relocate to Los Angeles, California. He got his college education at

Los Angeles City College Los Angeles City College (LACC) is a public community college in East Hollywood, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard on the former campus of the U ...

, while attending Reverend

James Cleveland James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991) was an American gospel singer, musician, and composer. Known as the "King of Gospel," Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by incorporating ...

's church the Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church. Where he was requested to go with Rev. Cleveland to

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, after he got called forward to play the organ during one of the church's offertory periods. In September 1978, "No Ways Tired" was recorded live at the Salem Baptist Church in Omaha, Nebraska, and Pringle was requested by Rev. Cleveland to sing on the track. In the middle of one of the refrains, Cleveland said "Sing it for me Keith." Pringle ad libbed and the song was a success. It was a gold record and nominated for a Grammy.

Music career

His music career as an act independent of Rev. Cleveland commenced in 1979 with the formation of the Pentecostal Community Choir, with the album, ''True Victory'', that was released by Savoy Records, and it even got him a

-nomination for the song "Call Him Up". The first album to chart, ''I Feel Like Going On'', was released by Hopesong Records in 1983, and this placed upon the ''Billboard'' magazine Gospel Albums chart at No. 11. While his next album, ''Perfect Peace'', was released in 1984 by Heartwarming Records, and this placed at No. 3 on the aforementioned chart. The subsequent album, ''All to You'', was released in 1987 by Muscle Shoals, and this placed at No. 23 on the Gospel Albums chart. He released, ''No Greater Love'', in 1989 by Savoy Records, and this was a chart topper on the aforementioned chart. The last album to chart, ''Magnify Him'', was released by Muscle Shoals alongside

in 1991, and this placed at No. 15 on the Gospel Albums chart.

Discography

References

External links

Cross Rhythms artist profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pringle, Keith 1952 births Living people African-American songwriters African-American Christians Musicians from Detroit Musicians from Los Angeles Songwriters from Michigan Songwriters from California 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American musicians