"Richard Smallwood, the Grammy-nominated gospel singer whose songs have been covered by the likes of Stevie Wonder and Whitney Houston, died in Maryland on Tuesday. He was 77. The I Love the Lord singer died at the Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Sandy Spring due to complications from kidney failure, a representative confirmed to Variety. Smallwood's family also announced his death on his official Instagram account, remembering him as a world-renowned artist, songwriter and musician,"
"Largely raised in Washington, D.C., Smallwood found himself a mentee of Roberta Flack when he was at Browne Junior High, TMZ reports. A lifelong pianist as well, he went on to earn his master's in musicology and piano from Howard University. While there, he sang with the Celestials, the university's inaugural gospel group. In 1977, Smallwood founded the Richard Smallwood Singers, who released their self-titled debut in 1982 an 87-week mainstay on the Billboard spiritual album sales chart."
"Three additional nods for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for Portrait, Testimony and Live came from his work with the group, which parted ways after five albums. Richard Smallwood performs onstage during BET Celebration of Gospel 2014 at Orpheum Theatre on March 15, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for BET) Smallwood's solo work was twice nominated for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album, for both Persuaded Live In DC and The Praise & Worship Songs."
Richard Smallwood was a Grammy-nominated gospel singer, pianist, songwriter and world-renowned artist who died at 77 from complications of kidney failure. He died at the Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Sandy Spring; his family announced his death on his official Instagram account and requested privacy. Raised in Washington, D.C., he was mentored by Roberta Flack in junior high and earned a master's in musicology and piano from Howard University, where he sang with the Celestials. He founded the Richard Smallwood Singers in 1977; their 1982 debut spent 87 weeks on the Billboard spiritual chart. Multiple Grammy nominations followed for group and solo work.
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