Gospel Artist
Rev. James Cleveland
James Edward Cleveland (1931–1991) was an American gospel singer, pianist, composer, and choir director. He began his musical career as a boy soprano at Pi...
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- 74
About Rev. James Cleveland
James Edward Cleveland (1931–1991) was an American gospel singer, pianist, composer, and choir director. He began his musical career as a boy soprano at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago, where he was mentored by Thomas A. Dorsey. Cleveland later sang with several gospel groups, including the Gospelaires and the Caravans, before stepping into an even broader role as a church leader and music educator.
In 1963, Cleveland moved to Los Angeles to serve as pastor of the New Greater Harvest Baptist Church. Seven years later, he established the Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, in 1967, he founded the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA), an organization that became a central force in shaping the sound of modern gospel choir music. His own arrangements often blended traditional gospel with jazz, soul, and pop influences.
Cleveland recorded more than one hundred albums during his lifetime. His catalog includes enduring songs such as “Peace Be Still,” “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired,” “The Love of God,” “Lord, Help Me to Hold Out,” and “Jesus Is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me.” He also released the albums In the Ghetto and My Expectations, as well as the song “A Praying Spirit.” The recording “Peace Be Still” was certified Gold by the RIAA.
Cleveland was the first gospel artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He won four Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1984. Through his recordings, his church leadership, and the Gospel Music Workshop of America, he played a central role in the development of the modern gospel choir tradition.
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