Clara Ward
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Clara Ward (April 21, 1924 - January 16, 1973) was a gospel artist who achieved great success, both artistic and commercial, in the 1940s and 1950s as leader of The Famous Ward Singers. A gifted singer and arranger, Ward took the lead-switching style used by male gospel quartets to new heights, leaving room for spontaneous improvisation and vamping by each member of the group while giving virtuouso singers such as Marion Williams the opportunity to step forward in songs such as “Surely, God Is Able” (the first million-selling gospel hit)… , “How I Got Over” (which Clara wrote, one of the most famous songs in the Black gospel repertoire), and “Packin’ Up”.
Ward ranks among the greatest of gospel singers; only Mahalia Jackson is more exalted. Her beautiful alto (with a somewhat nasal tone) in gospel songs and the Methodist hymns of the eighteenth century continues to delight music lovers. She had a marked influence on later singers, such as her protegee Aretha Franklin, who adopted her moan for secular songs and who saluted Ward in Amazing Grace, the gospel album she made with James Cleveland in the early 1970s.
Clara Ward’s mother, Gertrude Ward (1901 - 1981), founded the Ward Singers in 1931 as a family group, then called variously “The Consecrated Gospel Singers” or “The Ward Trio”, consisting of herself, her youngest daughter Clara, and her elder daughter Willa.
Clara Ward made her first solo recording in 1940 and continued accompanying the Ward Gospel Trio.
Ward ranks among the greatest of gospel singers; only Mahalia Jackson is more exalted. Her beautiful alto (with a somewhat nasal tone) in gospel songs and the Methodist hymns of the eighteenth century continues to delight music lovers. She had a marked influence on later singers, such as her protegee Aretha Franklin, who adopted her moan for secular songs and who saluted Ward in Amazing Grace, the gospel album she made with James Cleveland in the early 1970s.
Clara Ward’s mother, Gertrude Ward (1901 - 1981), founded the Ward Singers in 1931 as a family group, then called variously “The Consecrated Gospel Singers” or “The Ward Trio”, consisting of herself, her youngest daughter Clara, and her elder daughter Willa.
Clara Ward made her first solo recording in 1940 and continued accompanying the Ward Gospel Trio.
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Soul And Inspiration
Clara Ward
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Take My Hand, Precious Lord
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Somebody Bigger Than You & I
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The Very Greatest
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how i got over
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Dead End Street
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If You Wanna Change The World
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Didn't It Rain
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Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
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Just One Moment
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What The World Needs Now Is Love
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Recent Activity
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hhuuggoo123, SilverLakeQueen, Tburgxx and 21 other people added Clara Ward to their libraries. 8 days ago
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Mirage106z28 tagged Clara Ward with soul, female vocalist, blues and one other tag. May 2009
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Gospelfreak22, dcbrown13, almagal and 2 other people added Clara Ward to their libraries. May 2009
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alleerz tagged Clara Ward with clara ward and gospel. March 2009
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Bellopop, MissBabyBow and dieingroom added Clara Ward to their libraries. March 2009
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midlifefanclub updated the wiki page for Clara Ward. (diff) February 2009
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morgenohr, vpogue, ljumen and 6 other people added Clara Ward to their libraries. February 2009
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arequipa7272 tagged Clara Ward with ‘gospel’. January 2009
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imawheel, MS_gospel, franzgenau and 1 other person added Clara Ward to their libraries. January 2009
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midlifefanclub updated the wiki page for Clara Ward. (diff) January 2009
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