Dorothy Norwood

Dorothy Norwood earned the affectionate nickname "the World's Greatest Storyteller" through soulful vocals and uplifting performances that lifted her among the leading voices in contemporary gospel. Five of her albums reached gold status, and her studio recordings collected Grammy, Dove, and Stellar award nominations as well.

She entered the world in Atlanta, Georgia in 1935 and joined a family ensemble for touring and stage appearances by the age of eight. After relocating to Chicago in 1956, she performed alongside Mahalia Jackson and Reverend James Cleveland while also holding membership in the Caravans.

The mid-1960s brought the launch of her solo career on the Savoy label, where immediate success followed. Her debut solo album, Johnny & Jesus, earned the first RIAA gold certification in 1964. The second release, A Denied Mother from 1966, achieved comparable results. Wider audiences beyond church settings opened to her in 1972 when she served as opener for the Rolling Stones on a thirty-state U.S. tour.

Among the most prolific figures in gospel, Norwood issued new recordings steadily through the 1970s and 1980s. Early in the 1990s a signing with Malaco supplied additional momentum. Her first project for the label, Live, recorded with the Northern California G.M.W.A. Mass Choir, climbed to number three on Billboard's gospel chart.

By the opening of the 2010s she had completed more albums for Malaco than she had for Savoy. An Incredible Journey, issued in 2014 and featuring appearances by VaShawn Mitchell, Dorinda Clark-Cole, and Melvin Williams among others, finished one position short of the top spot on the gospel chart.