The Clark Sisters

Detroit's Clark Sisters stand as gospel music's most triumphant female ensemble ever assembled. Their mother, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, formed the group, and its innovations proved so foundational that observers credit the sisters with originating the contemporary gospel sound. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, original compositions such as "You Brought the Sunshine" and "Is My Living in Vain" migrated onto R&B and pop listings. Distinct vocal approaches from each member together generate "the Clark sound," an intricate blend of rapid high melismas, gritty soul growls, and vigorous trills and vamps. No designated lead singer anchors the quartet. Elbertina "Twinkie" Clark crafted and shaped most of their signature pieces, among them "You Brought the Sunshine," "Is My Living in Vain," "Expect Your Miracle (Looking for a Miracle)," and "My Mind Is Made Up"; her voice glides fluidly between bass and soprano registers while she commands the organ with virtuoso command. Dorinda Clark-Cole functions as the "jazzy" sibling, incorporating scat, riffs, and runs alongside her dynamic preaching. Karen Clark-Sheard executes acrobatic vocal maneuvers, her elevated soprano leaving an imprint on artists including Mariah Carey and Faith Evans. Jacky Clark-Chisholm serves as the ensemble's "bridge," her broad range and singular phrasing unifying the collective strengths. Breakthrough arrived via the 1980 live recording Is My Living in Vain and the 1981 studio release You Brought the Sunshine, following several 1970s efforts. Between 1980 and 1989's Bringing It Back Home, six consecutive gospel Top 20 albums and twelve singles emerged. After seventeen years away, 2007's Live...One Last Time climbed to number two on the Billboard 200. In 2018 the sisters reconvened to deliver "Is My Living in Vain?" at the funeral of their longtime friend and mentor Aretha Franklin.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, to the internationally celebrated gospel choir director, gold-certified vocalist, and instrumentalist Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, the sisters trace their lineage to her first marriage with Leo H. Cullum, Sr., which produced Leo, Jr. and Jacqueline (Jacky). Following that union's dissolution, she wed Pastor Elbert Clark in 1952; the marriage yielded Denise, Elbernita (Twinkie), Dorinda, and Karen. Driven by her own accomplishments and ambition, Dr. Clark began vocal instruction almost before the girls could speak, intending to cultivate a formidable cadre of female evangelists who would reach souls through song. By 1966 the daughters accompanied Dr. Clark during church services, typically performing her material. After divorcing Pastor Elbert in 1973 she concentrated on her daughters' ensemble, issuing their debut Jesus Has a Lot to Give on her brother Bill Moss' independent Billesse Records. Sales occurred primarily at churches, revivals, and festivals, yielding modest attention. Their follow-up, 1974's Dr. Mattie Moss Clark Presents the Clark Sisters, drew broader gospel-industry notice in the Motor City, initially leveraging Dr. Clark's established stature. Regional touring and airplay on Detroit gospel stations secured a deal with Sound of Gospel Records, established in 1969 as the sacred division of Armen Boladian's Westbound label. From 1974 through 1979 the group recorded four progressively successful albums for the imprint, including Unworthy, Count It All Joy (after which Dr. Clark relinquished creative oversight to Twinkie), and He Gave Me Nothing.

Initial chart and crossover traction materialized in 1980 with the live album Is My Living in Vain, credited to "the Dynamic Clark Sisters with Mattie Moss Clark," which dominated the gospel rankings for a full year. The track "Ha-Ya (Eternal Life)" highlighted Twinkie's astute production and arranging alongside her incisive organ and synthesizer contributions; she also handled mixing. Constant road work encompassed church concerts and gospel festivals throughout the Midwest and American South. Although 1981's You Brought the Sunshine reached only number nine on gospel listings, its reach extended well beyond genre lines. The title single, fashioned after Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster (Jammin')," penetrated soul and R&B outlets as well as discos and clubs, earning nightly rotation from Studio 54 DJs. Distribution followed through Westbound Records and Elektra Records. In 1983 the title cut attained number one on gospel while also charting on Black Singles (number 16), Club Play (number 27), and Hot R&B (number 80). Subsequent covers by Al Green, Xscape, and Coco accompanied the sisters' first gold certification. Despite 1982's Sincerely delivering the charting tracks "Name It, Claim It" and the socio-political "World," it remained overshadowed by its predecessor yet earned a Grammy nomination. Touring expanded from church platforms to civic auditoriums and concert halls nationwide.

Denise Clark departed early in 1986 to launch her own California ministry, though she appeared on that year's Heart & Soul, issued after a four-year hiatus and marking the group's inaugural project for Word Records' Rejoice subsidiary. Also Grammy-nominated, the Top Five collection included the crossover single "Time Out" and secured a Dove Award while introducing enduring catalog entries such as "Jesus Is a Love Song," "Pray for the USA," and "There Is a Balm in Gilead." Twinkie's writing incorporated contemporary programmed drums and synthesizers. Following rigorous touring, the remaining four sisters entered the studio for Conqueror, a polished, funky fusion of adult contemporary R&B and urban gospel that topped gospel charts and yielded singles including "The Darkest Hour is Just Before the Day," "Take Me Higher," "For the Love of the People," and "Computers Rule the World." The 1989 live album Bringing It Back Home, captured in Detroit, concluded their Rejoice tenure and their final release as the Clark Sisters before Twinkie pursued solo work; the set blended new material with catalog favorites and featured appearances by Rance Allen and the Michigan State Choir under Dr. Clark's direction.

The 1990s opened with the Clark Sisters delivering Miracle for Sparrow as the trio of Jacky, Karen, and Dorinda. Twinkie resided independently in Memphis, recording, touring, and serving as organist alongside Dr. Clark. Production came from BeBe Winans and Michael J. Powell, with Dorinda supplying her first songwriting credit on "Work to Do." Sales proved respectable, yet touring proved impossible owing to Dr. Clark's long battle with diabetes. Following their mother's passing and Twinkie's exit, the remaining sisters effectively parted in 1995 to launch individual careers. Twinkie, who had already issued two acclaimed solo projects while still active with the group during the 1980s and 1990s, released the solo album The Masterpiece for Ben Tankard's Tribute Records in 1996 and promptly followed with the concert recording Twinkie Clark-Terrell Presents the Florida A&M University Gospel Choir. In 1997 Karen, now Karen Clark-Sheard, issued her debut solo album Finally Karen; the Grammy-nominated project included guest contributions from Faith Evans, her sisters, and her daughter, future gospel artist Kierra Sheard, while earning a Soul Train Lady of Soul award. Dorinda, now Dorinda Clark-Cole, released her self-titled solo debut in 2002, securing a pair of Stellar Awards and another Soul Train Lady of Soul honor. Eldest sister Jacky issued her first solo outing last, with 2005's Expectancy featuring the Clark Sisters on the single "Blessing Me." In the 2010s she began releasing urban soul, funk, and pop singles.

The four sisters formally reunited for a 2006 concert in Houston, Texas. Directed by Donald Lawrence, the resulting Live …One Last Time appeared in 2007 on EMI Gospel. Issued as both audio CD and concert DVD, it claimed the top position on the Gospel Albums chart and earned three Grammy Awards: Best Traditional Gospel Album, Best Gospel Performance for "Blessed and Highly Favored," and Best Gospel Song for songwriter Karen. The group also appeared at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Rhino followed in 2008 with Encore: The Best of the Clark Sisters, drawn from their three Word albums. December brought a TV One Unsung episode devoted to the sisters, examining their musical and technical innovations and their capacity to transcend genre, stylistic, and cultural boundaries in gospel. Studio recording resumed with The Clark Sisters' Family Christmas, released in 2009. Produced by J. Drew Sheard II (Karen's son), the project included appearances by Kierra Sheard and cousins Bill Moss, Jr. and J. Moss (James Moss).

In 2018 Lifetime Network, in association with executive producers Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, and Faith Evans, initiated a biopic on the Clark Sisters and their mother. Written by Camille Tucker and Sylvia L. Jones and directed by Christine Swanson, the film starred Aunjanue Ellis as Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, Angela Birchett as Jacky Clark-Chisholm, Raven Goodwin as Denise Clark-Bradford, Christina Bell as Twinkie Clark, Sheléa Frazier as Dorinda Clark-Cole, and Kierra Sheard portraying her mother Karen Clark-Sheard. Titled The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel, it premiered in April 2020 amid COVID-19 quarantine. Its initial broadcast reached nearly three million viewers on a Saturday night, becoming Lifetime's highest-rated movie since 2016. The accompanying soundtrack, The Return, performed by the Clark Sisters, arrived in March and peaked at number two on both the Billboard 200 and Top Gospel Albums charts.