Karen Clark Sheard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Karen Clark Sheard
Clark-Sheard in 2024
Background information
Birth name	Karen Valencia Clark
Also known as	Karen Clark-Sheard, First Lady Karen Clark-Sheard
Born	(1960-11-15) November 15, 1960 (age 64) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Gospel Urban gospel CCM
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actress
Instruments	Vocals keyboards organ drums
Years active	1973–present
Labels	Island Black Music Elektra Karew Motown Gospel Word

Karen Valencia Clark Sheard (born November 15, 1960) is a famous American gospel singer and songwriter. She is the youngest member of the well-known gospel group, The Clark Sisters, which started in 1973. Karen is also the mother of Kierra "Kiki" Sheard, who is also a popular gospel singer and actress. Karen has released five solo albums and 17 albums with the Clark Sisters.

When the Clark Sisters took a break, Karen recorded her first solo album, Finally Karen (1997). This album included popular songs like "Balm in Gilead" and "Just for Me." Finally Karen was one of the best-selling gospel albums that year. It also earned Karen a Grammy Award nomination and a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for "Best Female Vocalist."

In 2001, Karen had a serious health scare. Doctors gave her only a 2% chance of survival after a blood vessel burst during surgery. This experience inspired the name of her second album, 2nd Chance (2002). Karen then released two more live albums, The Heavens Are Telling (2003) and It's Not Over (2006). Her second studio album, All in One (2010), reached number two on the Billboard Gospel Chart. Its song "Prayed Up" was also very popular.

Famous singers like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Faith Evans have said that Karen Clark Sheard and her sister Twinkie Clark have influenced their music.

Biography

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Karen Valencia Clark was born on November 15, 1960, in Detroit, Michigan. She was the youngest of six children. Her parents were Reverend Elbert Clark and Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, who was a famous gospel music director. Karen's siblings are Leo, Jacky, Denise, Elbernita "Twinkie", and Dorinda.

Karen started singing gospel music with her sisters when she was just five years old. This group became known as The Clark Sisters. She went to Mumford High School in Detroit, Michigan, and graduated in 1978.

Music Career Highlights

The Clark Sisters' Journey

Karen Clark Sheard gained fame as part of The Clark Sisters. This group is known for their amazing voices and unique gospel sound. They have inspired many other artists.

First Solo Album: Finally Karen

In 1996, Karen was part of a song called "Don't Give Up" with other gospel artists. This led her to sign with Island Records. Her solo career officially began with her first album, Finally Karen, released in 1997. Half of the album was recorded in a studio, and the other half was live.

Finally Karen was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1998 for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. Karen also won the Lady of Soul award for Best Gospel Album that same year. The album was very successful, reaching high spots on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Gospel Albums charts.

2nd Chance Album and Recovery

After Yolanda Adams, Karen Clark Sheard was the second gospel artist to sign with Elektra Records. She released her album 2nd Chance in 2002. The album was named 2nd Chance because of the "second chance" she felt God gave her after a very serious health issue. Her daughter Kierra even sang about this experience in her song "You Don't Know."

The album's first song was "Be Sure." 2nd Chance was very popular, reaching number 82 on the Billboard 200 chart. It also hit number 2 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart, showing her growing success.

The Heavens Are Telling and It's Not Over

In 2003, Karen released The Heavens Are Telling. This album came out six years after her first solo album. While it didn't sell as much as 2nd Chance, it still did well on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart, reaching number 3. It was also her first album to appear on the Billboard Christian Albums chart.

In 2005, Karen signed with Word Records. She released It's Not Over in 2006. Most of this album was recorded live at her church in Detroit. This album was her first solo album without her daughter Kierra singing on it. It also featured production from Israel Houghton. In 2008, Karen won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song as a songwriter for "Blessed & Highly Favored," which was sung by The Clark Sisters.

Karew Records and Recent Music

In 2009, Karen and her husband, J. Drew Sheard, started their own record label called Karew Records. The name "Karew" combines "Karen" and "Drew." The first album released on Karew Records was The Clark Sisters' Christmas album in October 2009.

On January 31, 2010, Karen won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance for "Wait on the Lord," which she sang with Donnie McClurkin. On April 6, 2010, she released her fifth album, All in One, on her new label. This album featured her daughter Kierra, son J. Drew Sheard II, sister Dorinda Clark Cole, and other family members. All in One was her first studio-recorded album since 2nd Chance. It reached number 98 on the Billboard 200 and number 3 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart. The song "Prayed Up" was very popular.

In 2014, Karen released her single "Sunday A.M.," which was nominated for Best Gospel Song at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. In 2015, she released her sixth album, Destined to Win. This album became her highest-charting and fastest-selling solo album.

In 2019, there were talks for Karen to play Kitty Parham in the movie Respect, a film about Aretha Franklin. Karen's daughter, Kierra Sheard, played her in the Lifetime TV movie The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel, which came out on April 11, 2020.

Personal Life

Marriage and Family Life

Karen Clark Sheard married Bishop J. Drew Sheard, a minister from Detroit, on June 16, 1984. Karen serves as the First Lady of Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ in Detroit, Michigan. Her husband is the senior pastor there. In March 2021, Bishop Sheard was chosen to be the Presiding Bishop of the COGIC church group. This made Karen the First Lady of the entire COGIC denomination. They have two children: Kierra "Kiki" Sheard-Kelly (born 1987) and John Drew "J. Drew" Sheard II (born 1989).

Health Journey

In 2001, Karen faced a very serious health challenge. During a surgery, a blood vessel burst, and doctors said she had only a 2% chance of surviving. After the blood clot was removed, Karen went into a coma for about three and a half weeks. However, she made a truly amazing recovery. Her daughter Kierra Sheard talks about this difficult time in her song "You Don't Know" from her album I Owe You.

Tours and Concerts

• The Clark Sisters: Bringing It Back Home (1989)
• Finally Karen (1997)
• The Clark Sisters: Live One Last Time Tour (2007–2008)
• Festival of Praise (2016–2017)
• McDonald's Celebration of Gospel (2016–2017)
• The Clark Sisters Virtual Experience (2020)
• The Reunion Tour (2023)
• The Reunion Tour 2024 (2024)

Filmography

• 1983 Gospel (documentary)
• 2010 Blessed & Cursed (movie)
• 2011–2012 Church Girl (stage play)
• 2012 For Richer or Poorer (stage play)
• 2013 "The Sheards"
• 2013 "BET Celebration of Gospel"
• 2014 "The BET Honors"
• 2017 "Xscape: Still Kickin It" (Xscape Rocks the Stage, Episode 4)
• 2020 The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (movie)
• 2021 Miracles Across 125th Street
• 2021 Song and Story: Amazing Grace

Discography

Studio Albums

• Finally Karen (1997)
• 2nd Chance (2002)
• The Heavens Are Telling (2003)
• It's Not Over (2006)
• All in One (2010)
• Destined to Win(2015)
• Still Karen (2024)

Awards and Recognition

BET Awards

The BET Awards are given out every year by the Black Entertainment Television network. Karen Clark Sheard has been nominated 3 times.

Dove Awards

The Dove Awards are given out every year by the Gospel Music Association. The Clark Sisters have won 2 awards from 8 nominations.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are given out every year by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Karen Clark Sheard has won 5 awards from 13 nominations, including a special Lifetime Achievement award.

NAACP Image Awards

The NAACP Image Awards are given out every year by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Karen Clark Sheard has won 2 awards from 4 nominations.

Soul Train Awards

The Soul Train Music Awards are given out every year. Karen Clark Sheard has won 1 award from 5 nominations.

Stellar Awards

The Stellar Awards are given out every year by SAGMA. Karen Clark Sheard has received 12 awards and 1 special honorary award.