PRAYZEHYMN Online | where gospel music lives [Gospel 101: 90's Countdown]

By J. MATTHEW COBB
Founder, Editor-In-Chief of PRAYZEHYMN Entertainment
Updated: June 10, 2008

THE 1990S, UNLIKE MOST DECADES IN GOSPEL MUSIC, showcased a powerful change of direction of popularity and exposure into popular culture. With movies like Leap of Faith (1992) and the internationally-renowned Sister Act films bringing needed attention to gospel’s roots, big labels and mainstream producers had no fear in digging into the wealth that gospel music was capable of producing. In other decades, gospel music was controlled mostly by gospel musicians. The ‘90s was completely different. Historians considered the big changes to be costly and possibly etching the future of gospel into uncertainness, but the new wave of support from producers like Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis to Teddy Riley in the early 90s opened up windows of opportunity for gospel’s longevity - especially on the new landscape of pop music. The dominance on the pop music scene from urban R&B, dance, soft rock and, most importantly, hip-hop allowed gospel artists to make big changes in order to remain relevant and effective during this season. Some experiments worked, and many didn’t. While researching Billboard charts, hit singles and going down memory lane, we were surprised to note that the trendier pop-influenced material were crafted by some of the best in pop music. Industry professionals from R. Kelly, Stanley Brown, Rhett Lawrence, Rodney Jerkins and Keith Thomas all presented something to the table and helped land gospel music, unlike any other time period in American music, on the pop and R&B charts. Thankfully, the prominent heroes of traditional and contemporary gospel music like Shirley Caesar and Walter Hawkins continued to sale; releasing some impressive, ground-breaking records. And new artists like Dottie Peoples, John P. Kee, the Canton Spirituals and Kurt Carr - now hailed living legends in modern gospel music - made their important national appearances during this time period. Important media artifacts including the best-selling WOW Gospel series and the popular weekly telecasts of BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel also allowed gospel music to be better documented for generations to come and ushering gospel to the forefront as one of the fastest growing music genres - according to Billboard Magazine.

While it was quite challenging attempting to bring together a list of this magnitude for a time period layered with fine, impressive material in the world of gospel, the feat proved to be possible. Just looking at ample amounts of record sales, single releases, radio airplay, years of Billboard charts, popularity and influence - and begin to lay everything out in the open - and the top fifty gospel songs of the 1990s are revealed. Sure, time might change these numbers a little since some of the music might come of as being...outdated, but the inclusions are important and are necessary to point out. These astounding mentions defined gospel the ‘90s in a nutshell.

"WELL, ALRIGHT," CECE WINANS, EVERLASTING LOVE (Pioneer, 1998) CeCe delivered a groovy R&B-tinged jam that enjoyed a few rounds in the mainstream; eventually climbing up the R&B charts at number 47. Produced by Keith Crouch (Brandy, Toni Braxton), "Well, Alright" became her first crossover hit single prior to going solo.	"FOR MY GOOD," DOTTIE PEOPLES & THE PEOPLES' CHOICE CHORALE, ON TIME GOD (AIR, 1995) From Peoples' strongest album from the '90s, she found another gem with the hearty soul ballad, "For My Good." Penned by longtime contributing songwriter Eddie Robinson, Peoples proves to be the star here with her super dips, occasional groans and effortless high notes. It's so perfect, you would have thought it was cut in the studio.	"CALLING MY NAME," HEZEKIAH WALKER & THE LOVE FELLOWSHIP CRUSADE CHOIR, LIVE IN ATLANTA AT MOREHOUSE COLLEGE (Verity, 1994) Hearts were touched with this powerful performance from Timiney Figueroa - heard on the GRAMMY-award winning album Live In Atlanta at Morehouse College. The eight-minute evangelistic track remains one of Hezekiah Walker's most celebrated ballads.
"I TOLD THE STORM," GREG O' QUINN N' JOYFUL NOIZE, CONVERSATIONS (Word/Epic, 1998) With a gorgeous soul reminiscent of Sounds of Blackness' "A Place In My Heart," the song burns with the passion of a fey Sunday morning gospel selection. But with the looming attachment of being labeled a "one-hit" wonder, Quinn never recapture the glory once portrayed on this cut.	"DON'T GIVE UP," ISLAND INSPIRATIONAL ALL-STARS , DON'T BE A MENACE - ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK (Island, 1996) Probably the only act of God on this naughty motion picture soundtrack, "Don't Give Up," with its New Jack swing Stanley Brown-produced textures and cool mid-tempo groove, featured Kirk Franklin, Donald Lawrence, Karen Clark-Sheard and Hezekiah Walker. The song became a Top 20 hit on the R&B charts.	"IT'S GOOD TO KNOW JESUS," MISSISSIPPI MASS CHOIR, GOD GETS THE GLORY (Malaco, 1991) Go down the list of the greatest songs from the Mississippi Mass Choir's heyday and you are bound to run across this Frank Williams' classic. Led by lead vocalist Lillian Lilly, this punchy traditional number summons the same energies of a Thompson Community Singers' record.
"SHOW UP!," NEW LIFE COMMUNITY CHOIR FEATURING JOHN P. KEE, SHOW UP! (Verity, 1995) Energizing contemporary gospel with a taste of East Coast R&B, "Show Up!" was a breath of fresh air for gospel radio. While the best-selling album, Show Up, emerged as one of the greatest albums of 1995 (taking home Stellars, a Soul Train Award, and Dove and GRAMMY nods while eventually going gold), the title track endured as one of Kee's greatest hits.	"STIR UP THE GIFT," COLORADO MASS CHOIR, WATCH GOD MOVE (Benson, 1997) No new mass choir throughout the nineties had a debut as electrifying as the Colorado Mass Choir. This class of freshman to gospel - led by director Joe Pace and mentor Rev. James Moore - blazed gospel radio with a hearty performance of Rudolph Stanfield's "Stir Up The Gift." Later on that year, The group won a Stellar for Best New Artist.	"GOODTIME," BRENT JONES & THE TP MOBB, BRENT JONES & THE TP MOBB (Majestic, 1999) After Kirk Franklin broke down all barriers of creating crossover urban gospel, L.A. native Brent Jones was able to land a big hit with "Goodtime;" a song loaded with serene hip-hop textures and a smart sample from Isley Jasper Isley's 1985 hit, "Insatiable Woman." The album featuring the hot track also broke R&B's Top 30.
"THE POTTER'S HOUSE," TRAMAINE HAWKINS, LIVE (Sparrow, 1990) The song was wonderfully arranged and composed by V. Michael McKay. But to top things off was the inclusion of the ear fetish containing a remarkable duet with her ex-husband Walter Hawkins. Hearing the two voices together on such a colorful ballad as "The Potter's House" made the song an instant classic.	"HE'S A KEEPA," RODNIE BRYANT & CCMC, HE'S A KEEPA' (Tyscot, 1997) Donald Lawrence and Cedric Thompson provided his hand of production on this heavy dose of contemporary funk. Penned by Patrick Love (The Vision), this cut gave Bryant and his Indianapolis-based group their first experience of national acclaim.	"SOLD OUT," HELEN BAYLOR, START ALL OVER (Word/Epic, 1993) While her songs had the tendency to impress CCM audiences, Baylor's blend of pop and R&B worked well for her voice. She learned it from the best anyway; due to years as a background vocalist for Chaka Khan. On "Sold Out," gospel audiences opened up to her even more. The groove proved to be too irresistible.
"WE'RE BLESSED," FRED HAMMOND AND RADICAL FOR CHRIST, THE INNER COURT (Verity, 1995) This song was highly responsible for popularizing urban praise - a common thread in Fred Hammond's music with his musical aggregation Radical For Christ. Soon afterwards, Hammond could never close a show without performing this number.	"LEAN ON ME," KIRK FRANKLIN, THE NU NATION PROJECT (GospoCentric, 1998) Fueled by big-name cameos from Mary J. Blige, Bono, R. Kelly and Crystal Lewis, "Lean On Me" stormed up the pop and R&B charts - supported by a heavy rotation music video on BET and MTV. The album stormed to number one on both the gospel and Christian charts and later took home a GRAMMY Award.	"IN HARM'S WAY," BEBE WINANS, BEBE WINANS (Atlantic, 1997) BeBe seriously broke ground on his national solo release with Atlantic Records. "In Harm's Way," beautified with imagery of Christ's sacrifice and was often misinterpreted for mankind sacrifice, landed at #20 R&B/#83 pop. The song was produced by renowned pop producer Rhett Lawrence.
"TROUBLE DON'T LAST ALWAYS," REV. TIMOTHY WRIGHT, I'M GLAD ABOUT IT (Savoy, 1991) Wright is well known for his knack of assembling cute melodies with sing-a-long lyrics - then building the song up with lots of fun repetition. That is the heartbeat of "Trouble Don't Last Always;" one of Wright's most enduring compositions of his career. The song was even featured on FOX's hit police drama series New York Undercover in its first season.	"MARVELOUS," WALTER HAWKINS, LOVE ALIVE V (GospoCentric, 1998) Gospel legend Walter Hawkins perfectly executes strong compositional elements and divine lead vocals in this heartfelt praise of God's mercy and compassion. The song builds up with a special trio featuring brother Edwin and Patrick Sturgis and later takes off like a jet filled with high emotion on the powerful vamp. It is considered one of Hawkins' finer modern works.	"SPEAK TO MY HEART," NEW YORK RESTORATION CHOIR, I SEE A WORLD (Savoy, 1991) If you really needed a glimpse on how great Donnie McClurkin could pen a gospel song, a good place to start would be with this legendary ballad - recorded before McClurkin's solo era. He would later revive the song on his best-selling self-titled 1996 project.
"SILVER AND GOLD," KIRK FRANKLIN AND THE FAMILY, KIRK FRANKLIN AND THE FAMILY (GospoCentic, 1993) Another hot single from Franklin's unforgettable solo debut, "Silver and Gold" possess the stuff of timeless hymn classics. While it was never released as a single, you probably wouldn't believe it after hearing it in rotation on R&B/soul radio. Its gripping effects were seriously felt in urban churches across America.	"THE CALL," ANOINTED, THE CALL (Word/Epic, 1995) With more pop than soul, Anointed launched their finest composition, "The Call," to both CCM and gospel markets and was met with great success. With its big harmonies and sleek production, the song later picked up a Dove Award for Best Contemporary Gospel Song, a Stellar Award and a Grammy nod.	"99 1/2," HEZEKIAH WALKER & THE LOVE FELLOWSHIP CRUSADE CHOIR, LIVE IN NEW YORK...BY ANY MEANS (Verity, 1995) While Live In New York...By Any Means remains the magnum opus of Hezekiah Walker's album career - loaded with funky grooves and exceptional performances - 99 1/2 remains an ace in the pack. The song glitters with Dorothy Love Coates' lyrics and Nate McNair's new funky inspirations.
"PRECIOUS JESUS/OVERTURE OF WORSHIP," THOMAS WHITFIELD, ALIVE AND SATISFIED (Benson, 1992) When worship music looked unattractive to contemporary gospel, the Maestro crafted a beautiful melody, surrounded by unison phrases dipped in poetic glam and gorgeous choral techniques, that was too hard to pass up. By time the song eventually faded, the Maestro and Company had visited one of the rarest epiphanies in modern gospel: worship in a music studio that you never want to end.	"HE'S PREPARING ME," REV. ERNEST DAVIS, JR. & THE WILMINGTON CHESTER MASS CHOIR, HE'S PREPARING ME (AIR, 1991) Legendary vocalist Daryl Coley brought such a mesmeric level of ministry to this classic Carol Antrom composition. The original version lasted for twelve minutes long and was barely edited for radio, but the effects of this song were impossible to overshadow. Sadly, this would be choir director Ernest Davis last big hit with his beloved group; passing away later on that year. The album spent over 70 weeks on Billboard's gospel charts.	"FIX IT JESUS," CANTON SPIRITUALS, LIVE IN MEMPHIS (Blackberry, 1993) The big breakthrough for this Mississippi quartet surrounded the Sam Cooke-tinged soul of "Fix It Jesus." Harvey Watkins, Jr., lead singer of the Cantons, proved to be a dynamic leader on this track and instantly catapulted the group to the top of as one of the leading modern gospel quartets. In 2004, American Idol winner Ruben Studdard covered the song on his I Need An Angel project - featuring Watkins as a special guest.
"I'M GOING ALL THE WAY," SOUNDS OF BLACKNESS, AFRICA TO AMERICA: THE JOURNEY OF THE DRUM (Perspective, 1994) Ann Nesby and Jim Wright both penned this electrifying and uplifting track. Gorgeous harmonies circling around a sweet groove and a lightly sampled "Impeach The President" by the Honeydrippers made this cut one of the brightest and breezy crossovers of modern gospel; leaping to #39 R&B in December 1994.	"MORE ABUNDANTLY," RICKY DILLARD'S NEW GENERATION CHORALE, THE PROMISE (Muscle Shoals, 1991) This Sonja Whitmore composition sent Ricky Dillard & New G flying to the top with its fiery acrobatic vamp and churchy drive. So great was the influence from this song that many future compositions in contemporary choir gospel - from Kirk Franklin to Lonnie Hunter - used that familiar technique on the closing vamp.	"I AM REDEEMED," CHICAGO COMMUNITY CHOIR, WE GIVE YOU PRAISE (Ambassador, 1993) Popular songwriter and choir director Jessy Dixon - known for his achievements with the Thompson Community Singers in the '70s - gave the Chicago Community Choir their biggest hit ever with "I Am Redeemed." Seasoned with a deep Southern grit, this track was welcomed greatly by gospel radio and remained in the top ten gospel music charts for an unprecedented five years.
"GOD'S GRACE," TRIN-I-TEE 5:7, TRIN-I-TEE 5:7 (Interscope, 1998) The first single from urban gospel trio Trin-i-tee 5:7 was a slick, sexy and charming production set up by R. Kelly. Kelly's experiments with gospel proved to be rewarding for him as he wrote inspirational cuts like "I Believe I Can Fly" and worked with Kirk Franklin. After getting healthy spins on urban R&B radio and a video in heavy rotation at BET, the single launched the album up the charts - even peaking at number 20 on R&B.	"FOR EVERY MOUNTAIN," KURT CARR SINGERS, NO ONE ELSE (GospoCentric, 1997) No one expected this marvelous power ballad to explode from Carr's No One Else project onto gospel radio a year after its release. It rocked the repertoires of church and community choirs across the country and remains an important milestone in Kurt Carr's career. The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir also re-recorded the song in 2000 and earned a GRAMMY.	"NOW BEHOLD THE LAMB," KIRK FRANKLIN AND THE FAMILY, CHRISTMAS (GospoCentric, 1995) Neatly tucked on a holiday album, "Now Behold The Lamb" became one of the most enduring gospel songs to enter into the canons of modern Christmas hymns. But the lyrics aren't really centered on Christmas themes - it's more of a worship hymn done in a mellow and rich contemporary gospel texture. Year after year, the song bursts out of its chambers unto gospel radio and churches all over.
"I'VE GOT A TESTIMONY," REV. CLAY EVANS & THE AARC MASS CHOIR, I'VE GOT A TESTIMONY (Meek, 1995) Being released on a small local label in Chicago, this foot-stomping celebration of traditional Chicago gospel in all of its glory was a mainstay on gospel radio; sending the project to number one on the gospel charts and allowed the former pastor to take home two Stellar Awards for Traditional Album and Album of the Year.	"THE PRESSURE," SOUNDS OF BLACKNESS, THE EVOLUTION OF GOSPEL (Perspective, 1991) "Optimistic" may have been the biggest breakthrough for Sounds of Blackness' musical career, but "The Pressure" prolonged that breakthrough even further. The album version would later get a glorious makeover from Frankie Knuckles in '92 and has been revived by countless dance remixers. The song, also featuring Ann Nesby's lead vocals, is considered to be a cult favorite in the club/dance music.	"BE ENCOURAGED," WILLIAM BECTON AND FRIENDS, BROKEN (Intersound, 1995) With enough Quiet Storm batter to make Keith Sweat look generic, William Becton created a sultry soulful groove around an uplifting message. It would be Becton's last big hit to date...so big that the song sent the album straight to #1 on the gospel charts and a very impressive number 25 on the R&B charts.
"NO WEAPON," FRED HAMMOND & RADICAL FOR CHRIST, THE SPIRIT OF DAVID (Verity, 1996) Digging deeper into his alter-ego of being the modern David, Hammond delivered one of his greatest and well beloved ballads on The Spirit of David project. Using some of the familiar traditions of Andrae' Crouch, this song is the epitome of Hammond's classic worshipful style of songwriting.	"HE'S AN ON TIME GOD," DOTTIE PEOPLES & THE PEOPLES CHOICE CHORALE, ON TIME GOD (AIR, 1995) With a cool guitar pluck on the Southern-spiced opening, Dottie Peoples - the Songbird of the South - delivered one of the strongest traditional gospel songs of modern gospel. The familiar lyric "he may not come when you want him" is a special tribute to one of Peoples' idols: Dorothy Love Coates.	"IT'S TIME," THE WINANS, RETURN (Qwest, 1990) The renowned gospel quartet teamed up with Teddy Riley - father of the New Jack swing style of hip-hop - on this major crossover classic. The song's street beats allowed the Winans to dig further into uncharted territory and proved to be fundamental for '90s contemporary gospel music. The song blazed its way to number five on the R&B charts in 1990.
"THANK YOU," WALTER HAWKINS, LOVE ALIVE IV (Malaco, 1990) Now on the Jackson-MS-based Malaco label, Walter Hawkins delivered a majestic single and a radio favorite with "Thank You." The track - now considered a church anthem - featured Yvette Flunder on lead vocals and goregously-arranged harmonies from the Love Center Choir. The album parked at number one on the gospel charts and even enjoyed a good stay in the Top 20 on the CCM charts.	"YOUR GRACE AND MERCY," MISSISSIPPI MASS CHOIR, IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN (Malaco, 1993) Set to a slowly-metered Southern soul primeval rhythm, this sentimental ode about God's compassion inherited much appreciation from traditional and contemporary gospel circles. It would be the last recorded song for Frank Williams with the world-renowned Mississippi Mass Choir; the group in which he founded back in 1989.	"THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S," YOLANDA ADAMS, SAVE THE WORLD (Tribute, 1993) This awesome composition, penned by V. Michael McKay, first appeared on the Ben Tankard-produced Save The World album in 1993 and was later revived on Live In Washington in 1996. The song's triumphing longevity landed the song on several WOW Gospel compilations and later prepared Adams for a lucrative record deal with Elektra.
"I BELIEVE," SOUNDS OF BLACKNESS, AFRICA TO AMERICA: THE JOURNEY OF THE DRUM (Perspective, 1994) Led by Ann Nesby's soaring pipes and a mesmeric Jam & Lewis new jack swing production, "I Believe" is strongly defined as unapologetic gospel with lots of crossover appeal. The infectious song - and the first single released from their best-selling Africa To America album - landed at number fifteen on the R&B charts.	"JESUS IS REAL" NEW LIFE COMMUNITY CHOIR FEATURING JOHN P. KEE, WASH ME (Vetity/Tyscot, 1991) By time this track invaded gospel radio, gospel critics were already calling John P. Kee the Prince of Gospel. The song's simple contemporary gospel structures, surrounded by polished 90s R&B sounds, helped define Kee's signature style and remains a staple in his musical catalog.	"ORDER MY STEPS," GMWA WOMEN OF WORSHIP, IT'S OUR TIME (Aleho Int'l Music, 1993) From the halls of James Cleveland's Gospel Music Workshop came about this Glen Burleigh classic. Featuring an unheard of Mimi Reid on lead vocals, this power ballad became a major staple in urban churches across America. Several artists have covered this track over the years but none come close to the intensity and beauty that upholds the original.
"I'LL TAKE YOU THERE," BEBE & CECE WINANS, DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES (Capitol, 1991) This updated pop-flavored cover of the Staple Singers' groundbreaking #1 pop and R&B hit from 1972 became a historic first for gospel - rushing to number two on the R&B charts over two decades later. Mavis Staples also made a remarkable appearance on the cut towards the end - sounding good as ever. This radio hit continued to elevate the duo into mainstream popularity - earning them their second Grammy victory.	"STAND," DONNIE MCCLURKIN, DONNIE MCCLURKIN (Warner Alliance, 1996) After years of grooming his songwriting skills with the New York Restoration Choir, McClurkin delivered one of his strongest performances in the uplifting ballad, "Stand," on his debut solo project. The song has since become one of McClurkin's most recognized tunes and landed him a gold record after receiving a heavy endoresment of praise from media mogul and talk show host Oprah Winfrey.	"TOTAL PRAISE," RICHARD SMALLWOOD WITH VISION, ADORATION: LIVE IN ATLANTA (Verity, 1996) One of the greatest modern hymns to come out of the tradition of gospel music, Richard Smallwood pens what most consider to be his magnum opus. The closing segment is best remembered for its well-constructed harmonies and resounding inversions. Amazingly, the song has been covered by a number of artists including Michael W. Smith, Donnie McClurkin, Cyrus Chestnut, Avalon and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.
"OPEN MY HEART," YOLANDA ADAMS, MOUNTAIN HIGH...VALLEY LOW (Elektra, 1999) The mellow, soul-meets-contemporary jazz sounds of "Open My Heart" was an eye-opener for Adams' fans and strong supporters, but stretched her musical boundaries even further. The song was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and became a Top Ten R&B hit; probably the strongest song of her career.	"WHY WE SING," KIRK FRANKLIN AND THE FAMILY, KIRK FRANKLIN AND THE FAMILY (GospoCentric, 1993) The song that literally launched Franklin's solo career remains his most rewarding. "Why We Sing" beautifully interjects poetic textures on a warm melody while resurrecting a few lines from the church hymn classic "His Eye Is On The Sparrow." The song also enjoyed major exposure on soul and R&B radio.	"ADDICTIVE LOVE," BEBE & CECE WINANS, DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES (Capitol, 1991) With a couple of major hit singles under their belt, BeBe & CeCe Winans blazed even stronger with this number one R&B hit. The new sound, using early-90s synths and Keith Thomas' production skills, was welcoming on this crossover classic and remains one of the dynamic duo's groundbreaking releases.
"STOMP (REMIX)," GOD'S PROPERTY, FROM KIRK FRANKLIN'S NU NATION (B-Rite, 1997) Most weren't prepared for the onslaught of energy that burst from Kirk Franklin's new group God's Property back in '97, but the final results paid off; ultimately sending Franklin to a higher level of popularity. The remix, featuring rap legend Cheryl "Salt" James, used a heavy sample from George Clinton's library. Instant success was awarded them when MTV and BET rocked their music video - sending their album to number one on both gospel and R&B charts.	"OPTIMISTIC," SOUNDS OF BLACKNESS, THE EVOLUTION OF GOSPEL (Perspective, 1991) What super producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis did for Janet, they masterfully reduplicated for the Sounds. The amazing and talented choral aggregation, along with the powerful soaring lead vocals of Ann Nesby, led this unforgettable track from their debut project to the top of the R&B charts in 1991 - resting comfortably at number three. While the album was a better success as a crossover than a gospel radio favorite, "Optimistic" still stands out as the group's greatest single.

OTHER VALUABLE RESOURCES TO LOOK INTO:
We perish because of the lack of knowledge. Get schooled.

Gospel 101: 80's Countdown - The fifty greatest gospel songs of the 1980s. Designed by PRAYZEHYMNOnline.com..
Gospel 101: 70's Countdown - The fifty greatest gospel songs of the 1970s. Designed by PRAYZEHYMNOnline.com.
Gospel 101: Church Directory - The exclusive online directory to churches and ministries in the U.S that feature respected music ministries bearing the sounds of Gospel music. Includes church name, web links, location and pastor's name.
Gospel 101: The Official Gospel Timeline - Go back in time. From the birth of Gospel music to its present. Including dates, time periods, detailed information and coverage on multiple important subjects related to the Gospel music genre.
Gospel 101: PRAYZEHYMN's MIA's - Another hearty PRAYZEHYMN Exclusive. This extension of the Gospel's Church Directory focuses on some of the most energetic and charismatic churches across America that features outstanding music ministries. Check it out.