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Gospel music: Quick Facts

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Photos

Mahalia Jackson
Dwight L. Moody
Billy Sunday
Dolly Parton stands at a microphone with arms raised, performing in front of the Christ Church Choir, who wear dark robes with light collars and sing in multiple rows behind her.
Gospel singers
Thomas A. Dorsey
Kirk Franklin performs on stage with arms raised in front of the White House, which is lit with purple lights, during a Juneteenth concert on the South Lawn.
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Related Topics and References

Topics

Key People

CeCe Winans smiling and wearing a long yellow gown on the red carpet at the Stellar Gospel Music Awards in 2025.
CeCe Winans
American singer
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Ruben Studdard
American singer
Dolly Parton smiles while holding a microphone, wearing a green outfit with sparkling details, in front of a red background.
Dolly Parton
American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress
The Queen of Soul
Aretha Franklin
American singer
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
American gospel singer and choir leader
Shirley Caesar, wearing a black dress with a jeweled collar, sings on stage with two male backup singers in white outfits at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Shirley Caesar
American gospel singer and pastor
The Staple Singers
Mavis Staples
American singer
Gospel singer Donnie McClurkin performing with members of the NFL Players Choir during a BET event at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2018.
Donnie McClurkin
American gospel music singer and pastor
Pat Boone, 1960s
Pat Boone
American singer and television personality
Sister Rosetta Tharpe stands in a long dress, smiling and playing an acoustic guitar in a studio portrait, circa 1940.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
American singer and musician
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson
American singer
Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
American singer
Wanda Jackson
Wanda Jackson
American singer
Nina Simone wearing a patterned blue and red headscarf and matching dress, singing into a microphone while seated at a piano in 1966.
Nina Simone
American singer
Anita Baker rests her face on her hand, wearing a purple top and large jeweled earring, with short dark hair and thoughtful expression.
Anita Baker
American singer
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Blind Willie Johnson
American musician
Rawls, Lou
Lou Rawls
American singer
Dorsey, c. 1929
Thomas Andrew Dorsey
American musician
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Tennessee Ernie Ford
American singer

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