Kristle Murden facts for kids

Kristle Murden (born December 9, 1956), also known as Kristle Edwards, is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. She is also an author and an ordained minister. Kristle Murden is famous for singing the solo part in the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from the movie The Lion King.

She began her professional singing career in 1979. Her first big performance was a duet called "I'll Be Thinking of You" with Andraé Crouch. The famous musician Stevie Wonder played the harmonica on that song. In the same year, 1979, she signed a record deal as a solo artist with Light Records. Kristle Murden has been nominated for several important music awards. She received two Grammy nominations: one in 1980 for her solo album I Can't Let Go, and another in 1984 for her solo singing on "Jesus Come Lay Your Head on Me" from Andraé Crouch's album No Time to Lose. In 1981, she was also nominated for a Dove Award for her album I Can't Let Go. This nomination was in the Best Soul Black Gospel album category.

In 1982, Kristle Murden won the Best New Artist Contemporary Award. This award was given at The Gospel Music Excellence Awards, part of the annual Gospel Music Workshop of America. She has worked on more than 30 movie soundtracks and television shows. She has also sung as a featured or backing vocalist on albums for many major artists. In 2019, Kristle Murden wrote and published her autobiography. It is titled It Took a Miracle and Then Some.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Kristle Murden was born on December 9, 1956, in Newark, New Jersey. She was the fifth child of Doris B. Legges and Charles H. Murden. When she was three years old, her family moved to Washington D.C. There, she attended West Elementary school, Paul Junior High, Calvin Coolidge High School, and McKinley Tech High School.

She started singing at the young age of four. She sang in the youth choir at the First Baptist Church of Annapolis, Maryland. By the age of ten, she had taught herself to read music and play the piano. A year later, she began writing her own songs. After a difficult childhood, she became a foster child when she was 15 years old.

Kristle Murden's Music Career

As a vocalist, Kristle Murden has traveled to over thirty countries. She has sung with Andraé Crouch in many places around the world. These countries include Jamaica, Israel, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Fiji, Australia, England, Canada, France, Ireland, St. Thomas, St. Martin, and New Zealand. She also sang on several more of Crouch's albums.

Kristle Murden performed another duet with Crouch on the "No Time To Lose" album. This song was called "Somebody Somewhere Is Praying". She also sang her solo song "Jesus Come Lay your Head on Me" on the same album, which was released in 1984. In 1993, they recorded two more duets together. These were "He is The Light" and "Say So" on Crouch's "Mercy" album, released in 1994. Murden performed one more duet with Crouch on his 1996 album "Pray". This song was "It's Just A Matter of Time". She also had another featured solo on "Come Closer" from that album.

In 1997, she appeared with Crouch on the "Oslo Gospel Choir -Live in Paris" recording. She shared lead vocals with Crouch on songs like "Perfect Peace", "Soon and Very Soon", and "My Tribute" on that project. In 1999, Murden and Crouch performed on "Angels Medley" for his "The Gift of Christmas" album. In October 2000, Murden was featured on "The Great Choirs of America" album. She sang on the song, "Do You Need a Miracle".

Between these recordings, she worked as a studio singer. She contributed to projects for many famous artists. These include Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Josh Groban, Ledisi, Clay Aiken, Brandy, Israel Houghton, Christina Aguilera, The Winans, Ronan Keating, and CeCe Winans. She also sang on Disney Greatest Love Songs and Ladies of Gospel albums.

Kristle Murden has also worked as an onscreen singer for several television shows. These include "Mike and Molly", "The Middle", "The Jamie Fox Show", "The Tonight Show", "The Grammy Awards", "Touched by an Angel", "General Hospital", "The Soul Train Music Awards", and "The Arsenio Hall Show". She has also contributed her voice to many movie soundtracks. Some of these are "The Lady Killers", "The Preachers Wife", "The Haunted Mansion", "This is It", "Rent", A Time to Kill, and "Voyage of the Unicorn".

Personal Life

In December 1978, Kristle Murden moved to Tacoma, Washington. She took on the role of Music Minister for Edwards Temple Church of God in Christ. In August 1979, Kristle signed a record deal with Light Records.