Gospel Artist

Dorothy Norwood

Dorothy Norwood is an American gospel singer, songwriter, and evangelist known for her narrative-style gospel songs. She was born on May 29, 1935, in Atlan...

Songs: 29
Albums: 0

About Dorothy Norwood

Dorothy Norwood is an American gospel singer, songwriter, and evangelist known for her narrative-style gospel songs. She was born on May 29, 1935, in Atlanta, Georgia, and began touring with her family’s singing group at the age of eight. In 1956, she moved to Chicago, where she sang alongside Mahalia Jackson and Reverend James Cleveland. During the early 1960s, she was a member of the influential gospel group The Caravans.

Norwood launched her solo career in 1964 with the release of her debut album, Johnny & Jesus, on Savoy Records. Over the following decades, she built a reputation as the “World’s Greatest Storyteller” for her spoken-word gospel style. Her catalog includes albums such as A Denied Mother (1966), Shake the Devil Off (1995), Hattie B’s Daughter (1997), Ole Rickety Bridge (2000), and Stand On the Word (2004). She signed with Malaco Records in 1991, the same year she released Live with the Northern California GMWA Mass Choir, which reached number one on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart.

Norwood’s recordings have earned five gold certifications, and she was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2023. Her career reflects a decades-long commitment to gospel music through both performance and storytelling.