Description
Clara Ward (1915-1973) was an American gospel singer and composer who was a major force in the development of gospel music. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of Bishop William W. and Mother Bertha Ward, and the founder of the famous and influential gospel group, The Clara Ward Singers.
Ward had a powerful contralto voice and was a pioneer in the gospel music field, having perfected a sophisticated gospel style that blended elements of jazz, blues, syncopation, and improvisation into the traditional gospel form. Her group was the first to fuse jazz, swing, and gospel music, and her influence on the development of gospel music can be heard in both traditional and modern gospel music.
Ward began singing in her father’s church in Philadelphia when she was just seven years old. She was soon leading choirs and singing solos in churches across the nation, and her fame as a gospel singer soon spread. In the late 1930s, she formed the Clara Ward Singers, and the group achieved great success performing in nightclubs and concert halls across the country.
Ward wrote many of the songs performed by the group, and her compositions were known for their positive messages and themes of faith, hope, and resilience. Many of these songs, such as “Surely God Is Able,” “The Lord Is My Shepherd,” and “I’m Going to Live the Life I Sing About in My Song,” have become gospel standards.
Clara Ward and the Clara Ward Singers achieved great success and acclaim during their lifetime, and the group was posthumously inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1978. Ward was a major force in the development of gospel music, and her influence can be heard in both traditional and modern gospel music.
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