25 Greatest Gospel Singers of All Time

Mahalia Jackson in concert, Concertgebouw Amsterdam (the Netherlands), 23 April 1961. Photo by Dave Brinkman-Wikimedia Commons

25 Greatest Gospel Singers of All Time

The gospel singers have been able to spread words of love, faith, and hope, grounding themselves in the music industry and continuing to inspire many generations. Undoubtedly, the music industry is full of mighty voices possessed by gospel singers, from Mahalia Jackson to contemporary gospel singer Kirk Franklin. Their devotion to the Christian music or subject they sing about has the ability to anchor people on an emotional and profound level.

These gospel singers have left a lasting legacy that will continue to motivate future generations of gospel musicians for decades to come. This article will explore the 25 greatest gospel singers of all time.

1. Mahalia Jackson

Mahalia Jackson was an American gospel vocalist who had a 40-year career. She is best recognized as one of the 20th century’s most significant vocalists. With the release of Move On Up a Little Higher, it sold two million copies and peaked at number two on the Billboard Charts, she gained notoriety. 

Mahalia sold over 22 million records throughout her tenure and remained loyal to the gospel, despite the pressure to record secular by being offered lucrative opportunities.

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2. Yolanda Adams

Yolanda Adams. Photo by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff-Wikimedia Commons

Adams is a gospel singer, actress, and media personality dubbed the “Queen of Contemporary Gospel Music”. She has produced 11 studio, two live, and six compilation albums throughout her career. Her albums have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, making her one of the best-selling gospel performers of all time.

She hosts a widely televised gospel program in the morning in 26 radio markets. Adams has garnered sixteen Stellar Awards, six Soul Train Music Awards, four Grammys, six NAACP Image Awards, and six Soul Train Music Awards. Adams has numerous hits such as Be Blessed, Victory, Gotta Have Love, and Hold On.

3. Kirk Franklin

Kirk Franklin. Photo by CL Holly-Wikimedia

Dubbed “Reigning King of Urban Gospel,” he is renowned for his talents as a choir director, songwriter, gospel singer, and rapper. He is widely known for leading urban contemporary gospel groups, including One Nation Crew (1NC), The Family and God’s Property, and many more. Franklin has won numerous awards, such as Grammy, Stellar Awards and is an inductee into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame. Throughout his career, he has influenced gospel music and continues to bloom in the music industry.

4. Sinach

Born Osinachi Kalu Okoro Egbu, she is a Nigerian singer, senior worship leader and songwriter whose career has spanned over 30 years. Her song Way Maker won the song of the Year at the 51st GMA Dove Awards making her first Nigerian to win the Award.

Her music career has been a success, producing hits such as, He Did It Again, I Know Who I Am, Awesome God, The Name of Jesus and This Is My Season. In addition to her success, in May 2020, she became first African artist to top the Billboard Christian Songwriters chart and joined the Grammy Recording Academy as a Voting member in 2022.

5. CeCe Winans

Cece Winans backstage in 2009 at The Experience (gospel concert), Lagos, Nigeria. Photo by Pastorflex-Wikimedia

 As a duo BeBe & CeCe member, Winans rose to fame as an American gospel singer before starting a successful solo career. During her solo career, she has released hits including Well Alright, Count On Me, Waging War, and Goodness of God. With over 19 million in sales, she is among the best gospel performers of all time. She has received multiple honors throughout her career, including 31 GMA Dove Awards, 15 Grammy Awards, 7 NAACP Image Awards, and 15 Grammys. She is considered one of the most awarded gospel artists of all time.

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6. Thomas A. Dorsey 

Dubbed the “Father of Gospel Music”, Dorsey was an American singer, composer, and Christian evangelist influential in developing early blues and gospel music of the 20th century. Throughout his six-decade career, Dorsey wrote 3,000 songs, including hits like Peace in the Valley, and Take My Hand, Precious Lord.

Dorsey co-founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Chorus, an organization dedicated to training singers in the United States that remains active. Some of the great singers he trained include James Cleveland, Mahalia Jackson, Sallie Martin and Roberta Martin. Additionally, he started a movement that popularized gospel blues throughout black churches in the U.S., influencing American music and parts of society at large.

7. James Cleveland 

James Cleveland. Photo by Lovelystatue901-Wikimedia

James Cleveland was renowned as the “King of Gospel,” He was a driving force behind the establishment of the modern gospel sound by incorporating traditional black gospel, pop, soul, and jazz in arrangement for mass choirs. He is credited with writing over 400 gospel songs, such as The Love of God, Peace Be Still, Where Is Your Faith and Lord, Help Me to Hold Out.

Cleveland is also known for teaching Aretha Franklin to sing gospel and he collaborated with her on the award-winning album Amazing Grace. He was the first gospel musician to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in 1984, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

8. Marvin Sapp

Surprisingly, he started singing in church at age four and during his teens, he sang and performed with the group Commissioned during the 1990s. Subsequently, in 1996 he established himself as a contemporary gospel solo artist. Since then, he has had a successful career, releasing seven albums, and in 2010, Sapp became the all-time highest-charting gospel artist in Billboard 54 year history of tracking album sales. Some of his hits include Never Would Have Made It and Here I Am’s.

9. Andraé Crouch

Andraé Crouch. Photo by Eirik Voss-Wikimedia Commons

Crouch was an American gospel singer, pastor, arranger, and record producer referred to as “the father of modern gospel music” and the pioneer in Urban Contemporary Gospel Music. He collaborated with high-profile singers such as Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Paul Simon, and Elton John. Some of his songs have been featured in several movies, including Free Willy and The Color Purple. Additionally, he received numerous accolades, including seven Grammy Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 1988 an induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

10. Rebecca Malope

Referred to “The African Queen of Gospel, “Malope is a South African gospel singer with a career spanning more than three decades. she has released 36 albums, and most have reached multi-platinum status. In addition, she is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time with sale over 10 million albums worldwide.

For her contribution to South African music, President Cyril Ramaphosa honored her with the Order of Ikhamanga (OIS) in 2021.

11. Donnie McClurkin

Donnie McClurkin is a gospel singer and minister dubbed a “Reigning King of Urban Gospel”. He started his music career by forming a singing group which didn’t last long. However, in 1996 he released a self-titled LP that featured his famous hit Stand that gained him fame. Since then, he has become a best-selling gospel singer, selling more than 12 million albums. Additionally, he has won Grammy Awards, BET Awards, Stellar Awards, NAACP Image Awards and Soul Train Awards. His McClurkin radio program draws millions of listeners.

12. Sallie Martin

Sallie Martin was an American gospel dubbed as the “Mother of Gospel” known for her efforts to popularize the songs of Thomas A. Dorsey and her influence on other artists. Dorsey was reluctant to hire Martin, but later they formed a profitable partnership with the legend. Also, she was a successful artist in her own right, even starting Sallie Martin Singers and her own publishing house Martin and Morris Music, Inc.

Martin has numerous hits, including It Don’t Cost Me Very Much, God Is A Battle Axe and He’s So Wonderful. In 1991, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

13. Matt Redman

Matt Redman is an English Christian worship leader, singer, author and songwriter. He is best-known for his single, 10,000 Reason (Bless the Lord) which won two-time Grammy Award. Redman has released 16 albums, written 8 books and helped start three church-plants.

14. Tamela Mann

Tamela Mann. Photo by CL Holly-Wikimedia

She began her gospel career with the “Kirk Franklin and the Family,” a gospel group. While in the group, she was featured soloist on tracks such as Lean on Me and Now Behold the Lamb. Later, she became a successful solo artist with her third studio album, Best Days, which was certified Gold by the RIAA. She has also won awards such as Grammy, BET Award, and NAACP Image Award and was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame. She has collaborated with other high-profile artists, including Yolanda Adams, Celine Dion, and AI Green.

15. Hillsong Worship

Hillsong Worship is a praise and worship group from Sydney, Australia and Orange County, California. In 1983, the group began releasing music at Hillsong Church. Their hit song What a Beautiful Name (2016) represent their greatest success having reached platinum in the United States and fifteen of their songs have appeared on the Billboard magazine charts in the US.

16. Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin. Photo by Atlantic Records-Wikimedia

Legendary singer Aretha Franklin shock the gospel industry with her 1972 album Amazing Grace putting the rock era over a notch. At the age of 14, she released Songs Of Faith, and James Cleveland helped her early career as a gospel singer. Franklin’s contribution to the gospel has influenced many artists.

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17. Albertina Walker

She was a gospel singer who began her singing career in the youth choir in church. In the 1950s, she founded her own Gospel music group, The Caravans, which discovered many artists, including Shirley Caesar, James Cleveland, Bessie Griffin, and Loleatta, who began great stars in the music industry; this resulted in the nickname “Star Maker”. 

Walker recorded many solo projects with many big choirs, including, The Cathedral of Love Choir, The Evangelical, The West Point Choir, and The Metro Mass Choir. Her contribution to the gospel industry is recognized by many, and she was able to influence many other singers.

18. Tim Hughes

Born Timothy David Llewelyn Hughes is a British worship leader, Anglican priest, singer and songwriter. He has released hit songs sung worldwide including the Dove Award winning, Here I Am to Worship, At Your Name, Happy Day, The Way and Beautiful One.

As an ordained minister in the Church of England and appointed Vicar of St Luke’s, Gas Street Birmingham. He leads Worship Central, an international worship raining and resource center.

19. The Clark Sisters

The Clark Sisters is a gospel vocal group with five sisters who are daughters of gospel singer and choral director Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. The group is recognized for helping to bring gospel music to the mainstream and for the pioneering of contemporary gospel. Some of their hits include Pure Gold, I Can Do All Things Through Christ That Strengthens, Expect Your Miracle, and A Praying Spirit. The group was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.

20. Dorothy Norwood

At the age of 8, Dorothy Norwood began touring with her family and began singing with Mahalia Jackson in 1956. She was a member of The Caravans in the early 1960s and started her solo career in 1964, spanning nearly five decades. Some of her hits include Praise in the Temple and Stand on the Word.

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21. John P. Kee

Dubbed “The Prince of Gospel Music”, Kee is a gospel artist and pastor with a music career spanning 20 years. He is renowned for mixing traditional gospel with the modern contemporary gospel and his soulful, husky voice. In the 1980s, he formed the New Life Community Choir, and over time, grew in popularity. For the success of his gospel music, in 2007, he was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame. 

22.Darlene Zschech

Considered as a pioneer of the modern worship movement, Darlene Zschech is an Australian Pentecostal Christian worship leader, singer and songwriter. She mainly writes praise and worship songs, and she is a former worship pastor of Hillsong Church.

Apart from singing she is an author and has written five books; Worship (1996), Extravagant Worship (2002), The Kiss of Heaven (2003), The Great Generational Transition (2009) and Revealing Jesus: A 365-Day Devotional (2013). Currently, she is a member of Compassionart (a charity based in Littlehampton).

23. Walter Hawkins

Walter Hawkins. Photo by Eric Draper-Wikimedia

Walter Hawkins was an American gospel singer, pastor, songwriter, and composer with a career spanning over four decades. He began his career in one of his brother’s choirs, the Northern California State Youth Choir. In the 1970s, he established the Love Center Church in Oakland, California, and his Love Center Choir had success with their Love Alive series of recordings which sold over a million copies from the 1970s through the 1990s.

Hawkins is an influential figure in urban contemporary gospel music. In 2000, he was consecrated to the bishopric.

24. Karen Clark Sheard

Karen Clark Sheard. Photo by RaymondBoyd51-Wikimedia Commons

She is a gospel singer and the youngest member of the Clark Sisters group. Sheard has released several solo albums, seventeen with the Clark Sisters, and collaborated with other singers. Her solo album Finally Karen became a big hit in 1998 with hit singles like Nothing Without You and Just For Me. Beyoncé and Mariah Carey count Karen Clark-Sheard as one of their singer influences.

25. Benjamin Dube

Dube is a South African gospel singer who gained fame in the early 80s. Over the years, he has released several albums which have reached gold and platinum status in the South African music rankings. In addition, Dube is a lead pastor of the High Praise Central in Voslorus, east of Johannesburg.