", Commentator Keith Boykin, who is African-American and gay, calls it a paradox: "The church might be the most homophobic and most homotolerant of any institution in the black community. Leaving took years, but in the same way I remember the first night I knelt at the church's altar, I remember the hour when I finally felt whole, when I met a girl, and we went back to her place. Other singers were added in later years, such as Marva Hines, and the renowned soprano soloist, Cleo Kennedy; they were mainstays until his death in 1991. He would also continue to appear and record with some of the greatest Gospel Choirs of that time. Lawrence Roberts. By staying out of the studio for a while, she convinced States Records to allow him to record with her group. They said they were holiness, sanctified. When gospel music star Tonex (Anthony Charles Williams II) came out in 2009, the gospel music world turned on him, and his record sales plummeted. hide caption. Even now, talk of Cleveland's death is often met with stony silence within the gospel community. All Rights Reserved. James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 - February 9, 1991) was an American gospel singer, musician, and composer. [5][6], Cleveland died in 1991 in Culver City, California. It's their way of repenting. Christopher Polk/WireImage via Getty Image Married Claude William Harvey (1872 - 1956). They brought me home to a shotgun house in East Austin, where they lived communally, sheltered the homeless, and held religious services for hours on end. This California farm kingdom holds a key, These are the 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles, New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater. They said they were holiness, sanctified. Charlotte was born on January 27 1828, in Claremont, Sullivan, N. H.. The success and sensation of the song's recording led to a record contract with an historic label that would change his life forever. In 1972, James collaborated with Aretha on her historic Grammy-winning and multi-million-selling album Amazing Grace, which is known as the Greatest Gospel Album of All Time. The Gospel Sound: Good News in Hard Times (25th Anniversary Edition) by Anthony Heilbut, Limelight, 1997. Most of the singers I listened to were queer, like me, but I didn't know that then. In exchange, ministers received federal funds for their community programs through Bush's faith-based initiative. In the early 1970's, when three Black religious leaders rumored to be gay were murdered in Los Angeles, Cleveland hired bodyguards. Andre Cleveland and his attorney said the business manager, Annette May Thomas, authorized the creation of a trust and named herself trustee Feb. 8, the night before Clevelands death. NEWSLETTER. Jim resided in Sturgis most of his life with the exception of the years he lived in Kalamazoo and Valparaiso, Indiana. Cleveland, 34, also challenged the validity of a trust agreement authorized by James Clevelands longtime business manager shortly before his death from congestive heart failure. Required fields are marked *. He founded the workshop in 1968 as a small group of musicians and vocalists. Irrespective of the controversies, the singer is still greatly appreciated and loved. Son of James E Williams and Ora Ethel McIntire. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1984. was james cleveland married The Bay Area in the 1970s had arguably the most visible presence of LGBT members in black churches, just as the broader gay rights movement had gained momentum in the region. His succession as king, when the elder Cleveland died, was contested by Stephen Caulker. Lesbians and gays contributed greatly to the church, often through music, even while being condemned from the pulpit. In 1968, Cleveland taught others how to achieve the modern gospel sound and preserve the industry's rich legacy through his annual workshop convention, The Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA), an organization that he co-founded with Albertina Walker and which now has over 150 chapters with 30,000 members. He strained his vocal cords as a teenager while part of a local gospel group; this was said to contribute to the distinctive, gravelly voice which became a hallmark of his later in his career. It was the root. Flunder once said during a 2010 interview that gospel choirs "always" have been havens for LGBT people: "In our indigenous expression, that wasn't a problem. 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[14][15], In October 1991, music producer Andre M. Cleveland (then-aged 34) filed suit against James Cleveland's estate, claiming to be Cleveland's adopted son. With fewer than a dozen members, no sign to mark it, no painted windows, no cross. That prospect has sparked disputes among church members, some of whom dont want to move. Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin by David Ritz, Little, Brown & Company, 2014. He spent time at Mahalia Jackson's beauty shop and listened to her hum while she fixed hair. But Garner said Thomas, who started more than 25 years ago as Clevelands church secretary, acted properly and in accordance with James Clevelands wishes. Black ministers and black lawmakers helped pass gay marriage bans in several states. Cleveland. It was the root. He was 59. As long as they can sing, people look the other way.". "The Apostle of Soul Gospel is James Cleveland" by Robert Windeler and Bob Sherrill, People, March 15, 1976. Drew Alexander/Courtesy of E. Patrick Johnson James Edward Cleveland Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family The Reverend Dr. James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 - February 9, 1991) was a gospel singer, musician, and composer. In November 1970, Cleveland founded his own ministry and church, Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church, in Los Angeles which grew from ten to thousands of members throughout the remainder of his life. James Edward Cleveland net worth is $900,000 James Edward Cleveland Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family The Reverend Dr. James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 - February 9, 1991) was a gospel singer, musician, and composer. "Inside the church, a lot of the music was created by gay men along with the preachers, we were the people who kept the church going. I do believe a certain hypocrisy is there. He was a well-respected Gospel musician, performer, producer, pioneering composer, choral director and founder of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Inc. (GMWA). This collaboration produced such recordings as "Heaven That Will Be Good Enough For Me", "Two Wings", and "The Lord Is Blessing Me Right Now". [2] His father had been working as a trader for the Royal African Company. ", Billy Preston, a Cleveland protege, said as much to David Ritz, Aretha's biographer. The Apostolic Tabernacle Mass Choir performs in Oakland, Calif., in 2010. Cleveland died of AIDS, Harris said, and infected him with HIV. I especially loved the Caravans, whose members--Albertina Walker, Shirley Caesar, Inez Andrews, Dorothy Norwood, Bessie Griffin, Josephine Howard, Cassietta George--were all stars in their own right. Cleveland. As a child, he attended Pilgrim Baptist Church, where Thomas Dorsey was minister of music. Awarded on August 12, 1981 at 6742 Hollywood Blvd. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. James L. Thomas could not be reached for comment Tuesday. The case was settled with undisclosed terms. [9][10][11][16][17] According to Heilbut (2012), Cleveland was widely recognized as gay in the gospel circuit. Out of all the mainstream pop songs he rearranged for gospel audiences, his most memorable is his classic rendition of Gladys Knight & The Pips' "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me," which he changed to "Jesus Is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me." He continued to record with The Caravans until States closed down in 1957. The change in his voice led Cleveland to focus on his skills as a pianist, and later as a composer and arranger. Peter Scolari's Biography, Spouse, Net Worth. He is known as the King of Gospel music. He was born September 26, 1950 in Sturgis, Michigan son of the late LeRoy and Ida June (Laughlin) Cleveland. After being called into ministry, he later founded the Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California. Son of Thomas Russell Cleveland and Mabel Francis (Lind) Cleveland. Throughout his career, Cleveland appeared on hundreds of recordings and earned four Grammy Awards. In November 1954, Albertina Walker provided him the opportunity to do his very first recording. At the center of the controversy is the James Cleveland Trust, set up to help fund the Cornerstone church and the Gospel Music Workshop of America. Daughter of Elias Smith Cleveland (1829 - 1915) and Harriet Ursula Sumner Cleveland (1840 - 1875). Lashone's Instagram posts see her having fun around people who really matter and impact her life. hide caption. "Blacks, Gays, and the Church: A Complex Relationship" by Corey Dade, NPR, March 22, 2012. His sister was actress Patience Cleveland. C. L. Franklin in Detroit, where he was choir director and taught the. A man who says that he is the adopted son of the late Rev. [5] Before he died, Pollack authorized producer Alan Elliott to try to complete the film. Queerness was apparent for those with eyes to see, but kept quiet enough that it could be ignored. Cleveland died in 1991, reportedly from heart failure. At his last GMWA appearance, he was thin and frail, collapsed, and was rushed to the hospital. However, news of Andre Cleveland, who claimed to be his adopted son, rocked the tabloids after the death of the singer. He was known as King James and the Crown Prince of Gospel. He says he welcomes members of the LGBT community to worship at his church. Their 1972 collaboration, Amazing Grace, remains her best-selling album and recently became an acclaimed documentary. Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)as Soundtrack, Your email address will not be published. Cleveland was born Dec. 5, 1931, and grew up on the South Side of Chicago. Marjorie was married to James Cleveland Suit on July 29, 1958, and they had three children. Parents of: Mrs. Myrtle Alta Harvey Monro (1891 - 1979) wife of George Henry Monro (1885 - 1952), Mrs. Ora Fern Harvey Kendrick (1901 - 1993) wife of Ralph James Kendrick. The workshops eventually attracted thousands of adherents and laid the groundwork for the popularity of gospel music. Cleveland was nominated this year for a Grammy for Having Church in the best gospel album by a choir or chorus category. He regarded the Gospel Music Workshop of America in Detroit as his greatest accomplishment. The Gospel Sound: Good News in Hard Times (25th Anniversary Edition) by Anthony Heilbut, Limelight, 1997. The Reverend Dr. James Cleveland (December 5, 1931 February 9, 1991) was a gospel singer, arranger, composer and, most significantly, the driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound, bringing the stylistic daring of hard gospel and jazz and pop music influences to arrangements for mass choirs. Franklin's New Bethel Baptist Church, lived on and off with the Franklins, and taught nine-year-old Aretha her first piano chords. Most polls show African-Americans evenly divided about gay marriage, but the vocal opposition, led by preachers, has gained more attention. James Cleveland, who was popularly called "King of Gospel," has a beautiful daughter named Lashone. "If you love them truly love them you will tell them the truth on the front side," Wooden says. Under his label he released three albums with the GMWA; one solo release; Billy Preston's first gospel album; two albums with the Los Angeles Gospel Messengers, which includes their first, most popular release, Praise 88; an album with his iconic Southern California Community Choir; and a resurgence of his James Cleveland Presents series, which brought back The Craig Brothers, The Fourth of May, and introduced The Harmonizing Four. His succession as king, when the elder Cleveland died, was contested by Stephen Caulker. This was true even as HIV/AIDS began claiming the lives of numerous African-American men in black churches, especially gospel singers in the early 1990s. ", Billy Preston, a Cleveland protege, said as much to David Ritz, Aretha's biographer. As early as 1971, in his book The Gospel Sound, Anthony Heilbut wrote about the gospel church as a refuge for gays and lesbians. For the United States Representative, see, You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me, "Gospel Festival to honor sounds and work of James Cleveland", http://campber.people.clemson7-s.edu/unitedstates2.html, "Aretha Franklin's 'Amazing Grace' Gets LA Premiere In The Church Where It Took Place", "Thousands Attend Service for the Rev. James may be gone, but his fans do not seem to have forgotten him. James Cleveland signed with Savoy Recordsin 1962 and recorded albums with The Angelic Choir, of Nutley, New Jersey under the direction of Rev. When it was time for Aretha to make a gospel record, she called on Cleveland and his choir. Their marriage coincides with my favorite music from her. Before bodyguards asked her to leave, Ervin read a statement she said was signed by her daughter. When it was time for Aretha to make a gospel record, she called on Cleveland and his choir. I need it in E-Flat, and Id go right out there and start playing.. He continued to record with The Caravans until States closed down in 1957. 34-year old Andre McIsaac and 22-year old Christopher Harris had both lived with Cleveland, McIsaac as a "common law adopted son" and Harris as a foster son. Youth With HIV, $9 Mil Lawsuit Claims. The Caravans sounded so sincere it hurt. I took encouragement from gospel music. The GMWA has featured and produced the likes of Donald Vails, Issac Douglas, Myrna Summers, Sara Jordan Powell, Daryl Coley, John P. Kee, Kirk Franklin, Kurt Carr, Donald Lawrence, and Yolanda Adams. 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