It took the 50th Anniversary of the GRAMMY® Awards, the gospel events leading up to it and the fact that a pioneering group in the popularization of Gospel was embarking upon a “Reunion Tour” for Detroit’s legendary Clark Sisters to make a long overdue splash at Music’s Biggest Night®.

Karen, Dorinda, and Jacky with their three GRAMMY® Award. (Twinke not pictured).

The Clark Sisters (Elbertina “Twinkie” Clark-Terrell, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Jacky Clark-Chisolm, and Karen Clark-Sheard) took home trophies in three major categories including Best Traditional Gospel Album for Live: One Last Time, Best Gospel Performance (or “Blessed & Highly Favored”, which tied with Aretha Franklin & Mary J. Blige’s “Never Gonna Break My Faith”, and Best Gospel Song for Karen Clark-Sheard’s composition “Blessed & Highly Favored”. The Gospel Hall of Fame members were also recipients in June 2007 of the esteemed President’s Merit Award for Lifetime Achievement at the GRAMMY® Salute to Gospel. After two decades-plus of faithful service, these marked the quartet’s very first well-deserved GRAMMYS®.

“We feel overjoyed, knowing there is hope no matter how long the wait is in receiving what God has for you, says Dorinda Clark-Cole. It is our time!”

As if the honours were not enough, The Clark Sisters were also featured in the prime time telecast on Sunday night in an all-star medley singing their classic “You Brought the Sunshine”, the first crossover gospel/pop hit to become the #1 Billboard album in 1983. The superstar siblings performed in the company of the legendary Aretha Franklin, as well as, with Bebe Winans, Israel and New Breed, the Madison Bumble Bees and Trin-i-tee 5:7, earning an overwhelming standing ovation for one of the most unforgettable performances of the magical evening.

Says Karen Clark-Sheard, “Performing with The Queen of Soul and our peers was an unforgettable night that I will always remember. It was a great honour to be recognized by the music industry’s most prestige organization.”

2007-08 has been a banner year for the ladies. The Clark Sisters are in the midst of heavy promotion for their very successful reunion CD/DVD for the EMI Gospel label, Live: One Last Time, their first project together since focusing on solo careers following the release of 1994’s Miracle. Produced by Donald Lawrence and recorded in July 2006 before a sell-out crowd of 6,000 in Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center, the generous, 17-song Live has been a fixture in the Top 10 of Billboard magazine’s Top Gospel Albums chart for 43 weeks (including the #1 slot) since its release on April 10th, 2007. The group took home five Stellar Awards in January for the historic reunion release. March will find them embarking on the second leg of their breathlessly awaited concert tour.

The CD, Gift Edition CD and DVD of Live: One Last Time is available at For more information about the Clark Sisters, visit the group’s YMZ artist page.

Updated 2008-02-18: Photo of group with GRAMMY® Awards.

« Return to Previous Page