Kurt Carr

Gospel leader Kurt Carr, raised outside a devout household, chose at age thirteen to begin joining church services and soon immersed himself in the congregation’s musical activities. Albums by gospel figures Walter Hawkins, James Cleveland, and Andrae Crouch sparked his interest, prompting him to enroll at the University of Connecticut in his native Hartford, where he earned a fine-arts degree and cultivated a lasting regard for classical repertoire. Under the guidance of the classically trained gospel figure Richard Smallwood, Carr expanded his compositional approach to embrace varied stylistic influences; he continues to credit Smallwood as his “godfather.” In 1986 he entered the employ of Reverend James Cleveland’s ensemble, serving as pianist and musical director until the reverend’s passing in 1991.

That same year Carr issued his collection of original compositions and arrangements, Together, on Light Records. He then established the GospoCentric imprint in 1992 and, as its driving force, steered his own Kurt Carr Singers through a series of contemporary releases grounded in classic gospel traditions: Serious About It! in 1994, No One Else in 1997, and Awesome Wonder in 2000. Beyond his recordings, Carr acts as creative director for the L.A.-based West Angeles Church of God in Christ and actively champions the roster of GospoCentric artists, among them the prominent acts Trin-i-tee 5:7, Gospel Gangstas, and Kirk Franklin and the Family.