Darwin Hobbs

In the mid-1990s the formidable gospel vocalist Darwin Hobbs established himself among Nashville’s busiest session singers and arrangers. Born in Cincinnati as the youngest of six siblings, he discovered his instrument early by performing weekly in the church choir beginning at age ten, displaying a natural talent for emotional delivery. After relocating to Nashville, recording opportunities multiplied rapidly, leading to appearances on albums by CeCe Winans, Michael W. Smith, Jars of Clay, and numerous other notable gospel and mainstream artists. A link to veteran producer Charlie Peacock secured a contract with EMI Gospel, which issued his first solo project, Mercy, in 1999. His full-bodied, expressive timbre drew frequent parallels to Freddie Jackson, Lou Rawls, and above all Luther Vandross. The follow-up album Vertical, released in 2000, included joint performances with Donna Summer and Michael McDonald and registered a solid debut on Billboard’s gospel chart. In 2001 Hobbs made his initial screen appearance in a minor part for the HBO film Boycott. His third EMI Gospel release, Broken, reached stores in 2003 and achieved his highest chart placement to date by climbing to number three on the gospel tally. The label’s final outing under his deal, Worshipper, arrived in 2005 and again landed inside the Top Ten of that same ranking. A career-spanning compilation issued in 2007 paved the way for the introspective set Free, on which Hobbs addressed the sexual abuse he endured as a child from his stepfather. Liberated from that long-held burden, he approached subsequent work with renewed energy and delivered the live recording Champion in 2010, which peaked at number six on the gospel chart. Throughout this period he maintained an active role as a collaborator and background vocalist for fellow performers.