Biography
Montrel Darrett entered the world surrounded by music as a gospel singer and songwriter whose mother played piano while his five siblings sang alongside him from childhood onward. At age four he composed his initial song and soon established the True Notes, his debut ensemble, consisting of his brother and four sisters. During his teenage years in Nashville he also collaborated with assorted local ensembles and cut several singles.
Although his upbringing in a devout household had instilled an early affection for gospel, Darrett only grasped the centrality of faith after enlisting in the Navy, where a fellow crew member offered spiritual guidance; by twenty-four he himself had become an ordained minister. Upon returning from the Persian Gulf War he experienced such profound disorientation that he attempted suicide, yet this crisis clarified his purpose of conveying divine messages through song.
He subsequently entered the ranks of Commissioned alongside the renowned gospel figures John P. Kee and Bobby Jones, sharing performances and recordings with the ensemble across several years. Seeking to articulate his personal approach to the genre, Darrett departed the group and issued his first solo album, Chronicles of the Soul, in 1999. Additional endeavors encompassed songwriting and production work for fellow gospel artists such as Virtue, Sharon Riley, and Faith Chorale.
Although his upbringing in a devout household had instilled an early affection for gospel, Darrett only grasped the centrality of faith after enlisting in the Navy, where a fellow crew member offered spiritual guidance; by twenty-four he himself had become an ordained minister. Upon returning from the Persian Gulf War he experienced such profound disorientation that he attempted suicide, yet this crisis clarified his purpose of conveying divine messages through song.
He subsequently entered the ranks of Commissioned alongside the renowned gospel figures John P. Kee and Bobby Jones, sharing performances and recordings with the ensemble across several years. Seeking to articulate his personal approach to the genre, Darrett departed the group and issued his first solo album, Chronicles of the Soul, in 1999. Additional endeavors encompassed songwriting and production work for fellow gospel artists such as Virtue, Sharon Riley, and Faith Chorale.
Albums
Singles
