Richard Smallwood
November 30, 1948
World-class composer, pianist and arranger
He is a diverse and innovative artist, Richard Smallwood has achieved many honors; Dove Awards and a Grammy also attest to his talents. Richard graduated cum laude from renowned Howard University with degrees in both vocal performance and piano.
Richard was one of the founding members of Howard’s first gospel choir, and The Richard Smallwood Singers were the first black gospel group to go to the Soviet Union. Richard Smallwood has been honored by the Smithsonian Institution as a “gospel innovator and songwriter,” and his hometown, Washington, D.C. heralded two separate occasions as “Richard Smallwood Day,” also, distinguishing him with the Mayoral Art Award for “precision and excellence in artistic discipline.” Smallwood’s gift has made room for him to minister to presidents and dignitaries at all of D.C.’s halls of fame, including the Smithsonian, the Kennedy Center and the White House. Touching all areas of the arts, Richard and his singers toured with theatrical.musical, “Sing Mahalia Sing” starring Jennifer Holiday.The group continued to amass successive Grammy nominations with the following projects, Vision, Testimony and Live at Howard University. Richard continued to climb to the pinnacle of success, receiving a Grammy Award and Dove Award for his production of the Quincy Jones’ gospel project, Handel’s Soulful Messiah. Richard’s music has never been confined to any one artistic genre. His song, “I Love The Lord” crossed onto the big screen when Whitney Houston sang it in the film, The Preacher’s Wife. His music helped Whitney Houston deliver one of the biggest-selling gospel albums in history for the 1996 film “The Preacher’s Wife.”
Richard’s songs “Total Praise”, “We’ve Come to Praise Him” and “I Love the Lord” have become standards in churches throughout the world “.Congregations have translated his songs into Korean, German, Hebrew and other languages.
He has eight Grammy nominations and within the gospel music industry has won four Dove Awards and 10 Stellars. Three of his 14 albums hit No. 1 in Billboard magazine’s gospel category.
He has sung for presidents Nixon, Reagan and Clinton.
Richard confides, “I’ve learned to depend more on God than ever before, and I’ve acquired a hunger for His Word like never before.” This seasoned professional continues to deliver a timeless musical message of hope with creativity, sensitivity and power.After 40 years in the industry, Smallwood has done what no other gospel artist arguably has done as successfully: blend gospel with classical music.
He has a life of worship and praise. What few know is that the journey has been taken while Smallwood staged a private battle: that he is a man who has fought depression and thoughts of suicide. Who has had entire years when he could not write a lyric. Who has found himself asking God: “Where is the healing in my life?”
Ironically, he credits his pain for helping him to write some of the very songs that inspire around the globe.
“Songs of pain last,” Smallwood says. “They make a difference. My prayer has always been, ‘Give me songs that last.’ I want my songs to last after I’m gone.”
“I have lived such a very blessed life. I am so thankful to God,” he says. “What a journey this has been. This is not about making money. It’s about winning souls and encouraging people through Christ. He takes care of it all.”.
Education and career
Richard Smallwood graduated cum laude from Howard University with a dual B.A. degree in classical vocal performance and piano, in addition to graduate work in the field of ethnomusicology. Smallwood was a member of The Celestials, the first gospel group on Howard University’s campus. That group was the first gospel act to appear at Switzerland’s Montreux Jazz Festival. Smallwood was also a founding member of Howard’s first gospel choir.
Smallwood’s recording career began in 1982 with the album The Richard Smallwood Singers. The album spent 87 weeks on Billboard’s Gospel chart. Its follow-up, Psalms was nominated for a Grammy. Two years later the album Textures was also nominated. Textures spawned the now-classic “Center Of My Joy” written by Richard Smallwood along with Bill and Gloria Gaither. Smallwood won his first Grammy, along with a Dove Award for his production on the Quincy Jones’ gospel project Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration.
Smallwood’s music has been recorded by artists such as Destiny’s Child, Yolanda Adams, Karen Clark-Sheard, and many more. He accompanied opera legend Leontyne Price at a White House Christmas celebration during the Reagan administration. Smallwood, with his current group Vision, has recorded several successful projects for Verity records. He finished his master’s degree in Divinity from Howard University in 2004 and was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
Smallwood’s next project was recorded live at the Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center in New York. The concert features guests Kim Burrell on “Journey”, Kelly Price on “Morning’s Breaking,” Chaka Khan on “Precious Is Your Name,” as well as The Hawkins Family, Tramaine Hawkins, and the original roster of singers who comprised The Richard Smallwood Singers and Vision. Aretha Franklin and The Clark Sisters would contribute additional studio tracks to appear on the album.
Among Smallwood’s most popular songs are “Total Praise”, composed in 1996 while he was experiencing sorrow in his life, and “I Love the Lord”, popularized by singer Whitney Houston in the film, The Preacher’s Wife.
Ironically, he credits his pain for helping him to write some of the very songs that inspire around the globe.
Smallwood earned a Master of Divinity in 2004 from Howard University School of Divinity and was subsequently ordained at his home church, Metropolitan Baptist Church where he also serves as artist in residence. In 2006 he was inducted into the GMA’s Gospel Music Hall of Fame.He travels the globe with his music, but Washington has been his home since he was 10.