Kimberly Jean Burrell (born August 26, 1972) 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, songwriter, and pastor from

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Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

Early life

Born Kimberly Jean Burrell on August 26, 1972, in Houston, Texas, Burrell was one of four children born to Julius Burrell Jr., a pastor, and Helen Ruth Graham, an evangelist singer in The Church of God in Christ. As a youth, Burrell began performing with 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 GMWA Youth Mass Choir (also known as Rev. James Cleveland's Kids).

Career

1989–2003

Burrell's performances continued with Trinity Temple Full Gospel Mass Choir of Dallas and The Inspirational Sounds Mass Choir of Houston. In 1996, she was a featured singer on the reprise of "Jesus Paid It All" on Ricky Dillard & New G's album ''Worked It Out''. Her first independent album, ''Try Me Again'', was released on the Texas-based boutique label Pearl Records in 1995. This led to her being signed to Tommy Boy Records, Tommy Boy Gospel and releasing another album, ''

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'' (1998), produced by Asaph Alexander Ward. The album peaked at #10 on the ''Billboard'' Gospel Charts. Burrell recorded '' Live In Concert'', a live album in November 2000 at the annual COGIC Holy Convocation in Memphis,

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

. The album was released in 2001. It 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 Soul Gospel Album in 2002. Though Tommy Boy Gospel closed shortly after the release of ''Live In Concert'', by 2002, she had signed a recording contract with

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 ...

. Under this contract she recorded only a guest appearance on the all-star gospel track "Higher Ground", which first appeared as a bonus track on

Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1, 1971), also known as Misdemeanor, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She began her musical career as a member of the Contemporary R&B, R&B girl group 4 All the Sistas Arou ...

's album '' Miss E... So Addictive'' and was later featured on Karen Clark Sheard's ''2nd Chance'' album. Burrell has continued to perform live and to collaborate with other artists. Though only intermittently active as a recording artist, she established and hosts the annual Ephesians 4 conference, a workshop for performing artists.

2004–present

In 2004, Burrell was a guest performer along with

Kelly Price Kelly Cherelle Price (born April 4, 1973) is an American R&B and gospel singer. Beginning her career in 1992, Price originally performed backing vocals for Mariah Carey on multiple songs, including Carey's ''Billboard'' Hot 100-number one sin ...

on R. Kelly's "3-Way Phone Call" playing the part of Price's "prayer partner" in the

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-like song. She appeared in George Clinton's original song "Mathematics of Love" on Clinton's 2008 album of covers, ''George Clinton and Some Gangsters of Love''. Burrell released her first studio album in 11 years, ''No Ways Tired'', on April 7, 2009, through Shanachie Records. The album features covers of classic gospel songs like "My Faith Looks Up To Thee," "What A Friend We Have In Jesus," "O Lamb Of God" and " I Surrender All," as well as the classic James Cleveland song after which the album is named. Burrell has uncredited vocals on

Frank Ocean Frank Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987) is an American singer and songwriter. He has been credited by several music journalism, music critics as a pioneer of the alternative R&B genre. Ocean has won two Grammy Awards and a B ...

’s “Godspeed” from his 2016 album

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. Burrell sang "I see a Victory" with

Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...

for the soundtrack to the feature film ''

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'' (2016). In December 2016, a video surfaced showing Burrell preaching a sermon at the Love & Liberty Fellowship Church. In that sermon, she called people who engage in homosexual acts "perverted" and said they had been deceived by the "homosexual spirit." She also warned that people who "play with" homosexual sin would "die from it" in 2017. In response to considerable criticism, Burrell said that she makes "no excuses or apologies" for the sermon, adding "I love you, and God loves you, but he hates the sin in you and me." Shortly after the video of the sermon surfaced, ''

The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...

'' canceled Burrell's scheduled appearance, as did the BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music event, where she was removed as an honoree. Her radio talk show, ''Bridging the Gap with Kim Burrell'', was canceled by

Texas Southern University Texas Southern University (Texas Southern or TSU) is a Public university, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically Black university in Houston. The university is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund an ...

Selected discography

Albums

* ''Try Me Again'' (Pearl, 1995) * ''

'' (Tommy Boy Gospel, 1998) * '' Live In Concert'' (Tommy Boy Gospel, 2001) * ''No Ways Tired'' (Shanachie, 2009) * ''The Love Album'' (Shanachie, 2011) * ''A Different Place'' (Shanachie, 2015)

Singles

* "Special Place" (Bad Boy Entertainment, 2001) * "Little Drummer Boy" (New Brand Records, 2018) * "Working For Your Good" (New Brand Records & Malloy Entertainment, 2022)

Videos

* ''Live In Concert'' (VHS) (Tommy Boy Gospel, 2001)

Other appearances

Awards

* 2000 Funk Music Excellence Award, Female Vocalist of the Year – Contemporary for ''Everlasting Life'' * 2000 Stellar Award, Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year for ''Everlasting Life'' * 2002 Grammy nomination, Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album ''Live In Concert'' *2009 Grammy nomination, Best Best Gospel Performance "I Understand" * 2012 Stellar Award, Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year for ''The Love Album'' * 2012 Stellar Award, Contemporary Female of the Year for ''The Love Album'' * 2012 Dove Award, Urban Recorded Song of the Year for "Sweeter" *2012 Grammy nomination, Best Gospel Album ''The Love Album''.

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Burrell, Kim 1972 births Living people American gospel singers 20th-century American singer-songwriters African-American women singer-songwriters American women singer-songwriters American Pentecostals African-American Christians Singers from Houston Singer-songwriters from Texas Tommy Boy Records artists Elektra Records artists Epic Records artists Shanachie Records artists 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singers 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American singer-songwriters 20th-century African-American women singers 21st-century African-American women singers