by J. MATTHEW COBB
Founder, Editor-In-Chief of PRAYZEHYMN Entertainment

everend James Cleveland, without any form of debate, is a legend. A legend that really needs no introduction to those that knew of him or of his unselfish accomplishments towards the gospel music industry. But for today's generation of gospel music lovers, it is possible for individuals to question Cleveland's universal acclaim. But those questions will most certainly have to cease when you begin to discover the magnitude of Cleveland's remarkable efforts, creations and lifelong achievements.

To define just how important Cleveland is to the world of gospel music and to explain his "kingship" to the throne of gospel royalty, one must chronologically pinpoint and locate the earlier sacrifices. It is in those memories of Cleveland's life that one experience greatness in the making. Cleveland is documented for getting his start while singing soprano as a young boy at the historic Pilgrim Baptist Church, where Thomas A. Dorsey was the minister of music and Roberta Martin was the pianist. Cleveland's aspirations began to enlarge before him as his piano skills intensified and he began to compose and arrange gospel songs. In the 1950s and early 60s he began playing for local groups and even working with the Gospelaires, the Gospel All-Stars and the Caravans. It was his groundbreaking involvements with the Caravans, which included several lead vocal opportunities and many of his arrangements and compositions, that was the most recognized and created the platform of exposure Cleveland would utilize for his own recording career. Cleveland leaped into the public with his remarkable rendition of "The Love Of God" with the Voices of Tabernacle, but in 1962 it was the trailblazing "Peace Be Still" LP that changed the course of history for gospel music. It is acknowledged for being the first album of its kind to introduce choir-based gospel to the world and for being the first gospel LP to sell over 50,000 albums. With the help of Cleveland would experiment with history books once again in 1968 by establishing the Gospel Singers Workshop Convention in Detroit, MI. The name would later change a year later into the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA). Now that organization stands as the largest convention of its kind in gospel music and contains over 30,000 delegates and members in 150 chapters across the world. During most of the 1970s, Cleveland continued to record and earned the moniker term "King of Gospel" while releasing dozens of certified gold records and pastoring the Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church in Los Angeles, CA and even developed the Southern California Community Choir. Most of Cleveland's best remembered classics were also developed and recorded during the 1970s including "God Has Smiled On Me", "I Don't Feel Noways Tired", "Lord Help Me To Hold Out", "Touch Me" and the unforgettable and Grammy-nominated "Jesus Is The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me". The height of this era was cemented with his contributions to Aretha Franklin's classic "Amazing Grace" gospel project in 1972. The 1980s was pretty much a struggle for Rev. Cleveland due to the changing current of contemporary styles in gospel music. His momentum began to slide and his health, during the latter portion of the eighties, also became a serious problem for his professional career. His audiences begin to fade in number and he struggled to update his style, but he managed to used the Gospel Music Workshop of America and its multiple album releases to keep listeners close by. The 1980s became one of GMWA's strongest decades with a strong representation of songwriters, dynamic song selections and artist discoveries. And with the creation of the Los Angeles Gospel Messengers - a vibrant set of young singers Cleveland developed and utilized to attract younger audiences - Cleveland wasn't too far from forgotten.

Cleveland also became one of the most aggressive and dominant forces in the gospel community and used that power to discover new talent and introduce new faces to the industry. Some of the artists and songwriters that were discovered and received extraordinary exposure from Cleveland included Quincy Fielding, Jr., the Troubadours, Keith Pringle, Reverend Donald Vails, Reverend James Moore, Dr. Margaret P. Douroux, V. Michael McKay, the Cleveland Singers, Charles Fold, Richard "Mr. Clean" White, the O' Neal Twins, the Harold Smith Majestics, L.A. Gospel Messengers, Calvin Bernard Rhone, Kurt Carr, Sarah Jordan Powell, Daryl Coley, Kirk Franklin and John P. Kee.

It is also important to note that throughout his career, Cleveland was also the first gospel artist to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has also received a total of five Grammy Awards. His last Grammy victory was posthumously awarded to Cleveland on February 21, 1991 for his Savoy Records' LP "Having Church". For years, Cleveland maintained his commitment to the Savoy Records label; producing over 100 albums and writing over 400 songs in all. Towards the end of his life, Rev. Cleveland continued to record and even experienced a creative comeback of specific sorts. Hearing the beauty tucked in "Always", the intricate contemporary melody found on "Jesus Loves Me" and the emotional "What Shall I Do" showcased Rev. Cleveland's passion towards a progression not only for his own craftsmanship, but also for universal excellence towards the future of gospel music. In 1991, Rev. Cleveland made the transition to Glory and left an undeniable void in the face of modern music. His presence is still missed by thousands, but his legacy is still being remembered and celebrated. Because of the many years of servanthood to the cause of gospel music and his valuable efforts to its foundations, a number of artists today have committed themselves to preserving Cleveland's pioneering labors. A number of artists including James Bignon, Rev. Timothy Wright, Chester D.T. Baldwin, Kurt Carr, Rev. Milton Biggham, Bobby Jones, John P. Kee, Steven Roberts, Dorothy Norwood, Percy Gray, Malcolm Williams, Shirley Caesar, GMWA chairman Bishop Albert Jamison and the many members of the Gospel Music Workshop of America are making sure that the empire the King of Gospel built will continue to stand.