Cause of rev james cleveland death

American musician (1931–1991)

For the Combined States Representative, see James Colgate Cleveland. For the American sphere wide receiver, see James Metropolis (American football). For the Denizen jazz trombonist, see Jimmy Cleveland.

The Reverend James Cleveland
Birth name	James Edward Cleveland
Born	December 5, 1931 Chicago, Algonquian, U.S.
Died	February 9, 1991(1991-02-09) (aged 59) Culver Socket, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupations	Singer musician composer arranger recording artist performer music minister
Instrument(s)	Vocals, piano
Labels	Byg, Gamble and Huff, HOB, HRB Music Company, King James, Musidisc, Nashboro, Phoenix, Savoy, Sonorous, Typography Parade, States, Thunderbird, UpFront

Musical artist

James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991) was an American gospel singer, conductor, and composer.

Known as class "King of Gospel," Cleveland was a driving force behind illustriousness creation of the modern creed sound by incorporating traditional grey gospel, soul, pop, and wind in arrangements for mass choirs.

Throughout his career, Cleveland attended on hundreds of recordings nearby earned four Grammy Awards. Lighten up was the first gospel jongleur to earn a star emergency supply the Hollywood Walk of Make selfconscious.

He was inducted into description Gospel Music Hall of Repute in 1984.^[1] For his trailblazing accomplishments, he is regarded indifferent to many as one of justness greatest gospel singers who insinuating lived.^[2]

His best known recordings lean "Lord, Help Me to Be a magnet for Out", "Peace Be Still", "I Don't Feel No Ways Tired", “Where Is Your Faith", "The Love of God", "God Has Smiled on Me", and "Jesus Is the Best Thing Avoid Ever Happened to Me."

Early life and career

Born in City, Cleveland began singing as trim boy soprano at Pilgrim Baptistic Church where Thomas A.

Dorsey was minister of music^[3] current Roberta Martin was pianist entertain the choir. He strained jurisdiction vocal cords as a boy while part of a on your doorstep gospel group; this was whispered to contribute to the individualistic, gravelly voice which became spiffy tidy up hallmark of his later currency his career.

As a kid, Cleveland was a part give an account of a missionary group, Soul Winners for Christ which was composed by his teenage friend Jellyfish Jimerson Phillips. Phillips would go on foot on in later years in the neighborhood of write Roberta Martin's last historical song, "I Have Hope". Key Winners for Christ also charade a young Richard D.

Henton and was headquartered at Chicago's Greater Harvest Baptist Church; Prizefighter H. Boddie was pastor. Significance change in his voice boisterous Cleveland to focus on government skills as a pianist, final later as a composer build up arranger. Also produced and chief wrote songs with Aretha Pressman for her multi award endure multi million sales best acquire album Amazing Grace.

With songs that included "Precious Memories", "God will take care of you" and "Mary Don't You Weep".

Musical career

The Gospelaires

In 1950, City joined the Gospelaires, a trilogy led by Norsalus McKissick gleam Bessie Folk. His arrangements rationalized such traditional standards as "(Give Me That) Old Time Religion" and "It's Me, O Lord".

After the trio disbanded, rule out associate of the group, Roberta Martin, hired him as capital composer and arranger. The put a label on that brought Cleveland tremendous atrocity was his rendition of "Peace Be Still".

Albertina Walker & The Caravans

Cleveland went to enquiry with childhood friend Albertina Rambler, founder of The Caravans, bring in a composer, arranger, pianist, talented occasional singer as well primate a narrator.^[4]

The Caravans became righteousness launching pad for today's doctrine legends.

Besides Cleveland, the committee counted among its membership a few gospel luminaries including Shirley Comic, known as the First Moslem of Gospel; Cassietta George, who co-wrote some of the group's best hits; Delores Washington; Josephine Howard, mother to R&B chief Miki Howard; Inez Andrews, whose song "Mary, Don't You Weep" became a staple in distinction industry; Dorothy Norwood, known considerably Gospel's Greatest Storyteller; James Heron; Loleatta Holloway, who became far-out legendary dance recording artist terminate the late 1970s; and diverse others.

In November 1954, Hiker provided Cleveland the opportunity extract do his very first record. By staying out of integrity studio for a while, she convinced States Records to soirйe him to record with on his group. He continued to commit to paper with The Caravans until States closed down in 1957.^[5] President would later reunite with Traveler in the late 1970s extra two album releases: Reunion, at large in 1977, and the iconic classic Please Be Patient Skilled Me, released in 1979 sell the Trinity All Nations Consort of Chicago.

This album deserved Walker her first gold put on tape.

In 1959, he recorded uncluttered version of Ray Charles' harm "Hallelujah, I Love Her So" as a solo artist. Invitation 1960, Cleveland, who had unified blues riffs in his rip off – and what Anthony Heilbut described as "sheer funkiness" – had become associated with fine new tenor in gospel opus.

He became known by extra than just the professionals confidential gospel music with his incarnation of the Soul Stirrers' number cheaply, "The Love of God", hardbound by the Voices of Temple from Detroit. The success instruct sensation of the song's demo led to a record responsibility with an historic label delay would change his life wellknown.

Savoy Records

James Cleveland signed show the historic jazz label Savoy Records in 1962, going heaviness to release a huge assort of soul gospel recordings come across that year until his humanity in 1991, many of which were recorded in a stick up for concert setting. The live take the trouble recording staple started with Deacon Lawrence Roberts, pastor of honesty First Baptist Church in Nutley, New Jersey, home of decency famous Angelic Choir.

Roberts appeal the idea of capturing idolize in song live on deft recording where the listeners sprig feel and become of ingenious part of the service. Deposit with Savoy's executive producer Fred Mendelsohn, Cleveland and the Beatific Choir of Nutley released couple albums before recording the iconic masterpiece, Peace Be Still, delete September 1963, which sold many of copies at that fluster and garnered Cleveland his cardinal gold album.

Peace Be Still also stayed on the Billboard charts for at least xv years after its release.

The Cleveland Singers

Cleveland moved to Los Angeles to become Minister carp Music at Grace Memorial Cathedral of God in Christ, vicinity he attained even greater common occurrence working with keyboardist Billy Preston and the Angelic Choir intelligent Nutley, New Jersey.

He common to touring with the lately organized James Cleveland Singers, which included Odessa McCastle, Georgia Creamy, Eugene Bryant, and Billy Preston, among others. In 1964, Metropolis re-organized The James Cleveland Chorus, which included Odessa McCastle, Roger Roberts, and Gene Viale (who was the first Latin-American undulation integrate soul gospel and appalling with the Cleveland Singers).

In 1965, Cleveland added Clyde Dark-brown and Charles Barnett to monarch group, which by then was traveling extensively throughout the Common States and abroad into high-mindedness late 1960s, performing in perfect major venues. This collaboration understandable such recordings as "Heaven Put off Will Be Good Enough Engage Me", "Two Wings", and "The Lord Is Blessing Me Legal Now".

Other singers were another in later years, including Marva Hines and renowned soprano minstrel, Cleo Kennedy. They were mainstays until Cleveland's death in 1991.

Cleveland capitalized on his prosperity by founding his own ensemble, the Southern California Community Strain accord. After being nominated numerous time in previous years, James won his first Grammy Award come to mind the Southern California Community Ensemble in 1975, for his 1974 album, In the Ghetto.

He recorded several albums with SCC between the years of 1970 and 1990. Their most gain recognition albums were the 1979 Grammy-nominated release, It's a New Day, featuring the industry's signature essence, "God Is"; and their 1981 release, Where Is Your Faith; among many others. His farewell Grammy Award was issued posthumously after his passing in 1991, for his final album stomach SCC, Having Church, which complexion Cleveland's iconic rendition of Tramaine Hawkins' signature "What Shall Side-splitting Do?", written and composed gross Quincy Fielding.

Cornerstone Institutional Protestant Church

In November 1970, Cleveland supported his own ministry and faith, Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church, rework Los Angeles which grew diverge ten to thousands of staff throughout the remainder of realm life. His first album release the church choir, The Voices of Cornerstone, was released inferior 1980, which featured a extraordinary rendition by Cleveland of "Jesus, Lover of My Soul", enjoin the title track, "A Divine service Spirit", written by Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark and recorded by Grandeur Clark Sisters.

The church choir's second album, My Expectations, was released in 1981 to reasonable acclaim. By the time exercise his death the church associates was over 7,000.

James Metropolis Presents

From the 1970s until 1990, Cleveland would bring together organized number of artists to gulp down him on appearances and documents.

He also continued to happen, appear, and record with dreadful of the most notable doctrine choirs and independent artists bank the time – many vacation whom became legends in their own right including The Donald Vails Choraleers (Detroit); The Harold Smith Majestics, with whom unquestionable recorded the classic "Lord, Educational Me to Hold Out"; Righteousness Los Angeles Gospel Messengers, nobleness last choir to record connote Cleveland before he passed; Additional Jerusalem Baptist Church Choir bring forth Flint, Michigan; Henry Jackson; Prestige Craig Brothers; The Salem Stirring Choir from Omaha, Nebraska, let fall whom he recorded the iconic staple "I Don't Feel Noways Tired"; Richard "Mr.

Clean" White; Bishop Albert Jamison & say publicly Triboro Mass Choir; Issac Whittmon; Marva Hines; Debbie Austin; Position Fourth of May; Quentella Caldwell; Sara Jordan Powell; The City Mass Choir; The Houston Mountain Choir; The New Jersey Broad Choir; and the award-winning River Fold Singers, from Cincinnati, River, with whom Cleveland recorded quintuplet albums, including the Grammy-winning 1979 release, Make Me an Instrument.

Additionally, Cleveland himself backed opposite acts, contributing to the recordings of well-known artists such thanks to Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, boss Elton John.

Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace

Cleveland also moved to Port in the 1960s to grip a position as music superintendent at the famed New Bethel Baptist Church, where C.

Praise. Franklin, father of the Chief of Soul, Aretha Franklin, was pastor. In 1972, James collaborated with Aretha on her ancestral Grammy-winning and multi-million-selling album Amazing Grace, which is known on account of the Greatest Gospel Album describe All Time. Recorded live change the New Temple Missionary Protestant Church in Watts in Los Angeles, with his Southern Calif.

Community Choir,^[6] his feature put in jail the album and Aretha's come next as a pop artist appreciative the album a historic advisor in gospel, and is flush selling to this day, comprehend a special CD re-release a variety of The Complete Recordings (the unedited album recording session of distinction Amazing Grace project).

This accustomed recording was also filmed stomachturning director Sydney Pollack for cease intended documentary release, but owing to a technical issue sponsor not using a clapperboard give somebody the job of synchronize the audio with decency video, the film was alleged unusable, and was left in reserve for the next 47 years.^[6] Before he died, Pollack sanctioned producer Alan Elliott to aim to complete the film.^[6] At or in the beginning unaware of the sound synchronising problem, Elliot mortgaged his make threadbare house to buy the vinyl negative from Warner Brothers, on the contrary was able to use latest technology to bring audio turf video together successfully.^[6] The realized documentary was finally released dilemma April 2019, playing in opt for theaters across the world, be regarding a premier at the Modern Temple Missionary Baptist Church itself.^[6]

Gospel: The Motion Picture

The historic movie film Gospel, released in 1983, features James Cleveland for depiction first time on the induce picture screen, along with authority Southern California Community Choir, Director Hawkins & the Family, Significance Mighty Clouds of Joy, Shirley Caesar, and The Clark Sisters.

The film was directed hunk David Leivick and Frederick Unornamented. Ritzenberg. Excerpts from the membrane soundtrack was released on Savoy Records and became a particularly seller, with Cleveland having glory majority feature on side link of the album.

Gospel Masterpiece Workshop of America

In 1968, Metropolis taught others how to attain the modern gospel sound accept preserve the industry's rich bequest through his annual workshop collection, The Gospel Music Workshop advance America (GMWA), an organization mosey he co-founded with Albertina Rambler and which now has condescending 150 chapters with 30,000 associates.

The GMWA has featured squeeze produced the likes of Donald Vails, Issac Douglas, Myrna Summers, Harold Ivory Williams Jr., Sara Jordan Powell, Daryl Coley, Toilet P. Kee, Kirk Franklin, Kurt Carr, Donald Lawrence, and Yolanda Adams. The purpose of high-mindedness workshop was to bring application singers from all over rectitude country in order to hang on the art of gospel opus.

The workshops eventually attracted tens of adherents and laid blue blood the gentry groundwork for the popularity make merry gospel music. The last jotter Cleveland recorded with the GMWA was their 1990 release plant the previous year's annual symposium in New Orleans.

Gospel renditions of pop songs

Throughout his tape measure career, Cleveland started a current and was famously known aspire taking some of the focal point pop, R&B, and soul songs and transforming them into creed anthems.

Out of all rendering mainstream pop songs he frozen for gospel audiences, his greatest memorable is his classic execution of Gladys Knight & rectitude Pips' "You're the Best Flattering That Ever Happened to Me," which he changed to "Jesus Is the Best Thing Prowl Ever Happened to Me." That rendition earned him a Grammy nomination when it was unconfined in 1975 as his supreme recording with the Charles Podium Singers of Cincinnati, Ohio.

In relation to memorable gospel rendition was disagree with Barry Manilow's "I Write class Songs," which he recorded categorize his 1977 Grammy-winning album, Live at Carnegie Hall. The ultimate song rendition he presented was Whitney Houston's "Didn't We Apparently Have It All," known on account of "Aren't You Glad You Hear the Lord," which Cleveland factual in 1989 with the Septrional and Southern California Choirs disregard the GMWA on the photo album Breathe on Me, featuring Daryl Coley and current Savoy Archives executive producer Milton Biggham.

King James Records

From 1985 to 1988, Cleveland launched his own disconnected record label, King James Annals, which was manufactured and influence by Detroit's own Sound additional Gospel/Nine Records, Inc. Under fillet label he released three albums with the GMWA; one unaccompanied release; Billy Preston's first doctrine album; two albums with significance Los Angeles Gospel Messengers, which includes their first, most approved release, Praise 88; an stamp album with his iconic Southern Calif.

Community Choir; and a rebirth of his James Cleveland Bounty series, which brought back Depiction Craig Brothers, The Fourth identical May, and introduced The Harmonizing Four. Cleveland's record label image = \'prety damned quick\' after the distributor closed.

Death

On February 9, 1991, James City died in Culver City, California.^[7] He was 59.

Some accounts list the cause of passing as congestive heart failure stating that the singer had immoral into a coma shortly in advance his death. Over 8,000 everyday ^[8] gathered for his interment service at the Shrine Lecture-room in Los Angeles.^{[9][10][11][12]} He problem interred at Inglewood Park Burial ground in Inglewood, California.^[13]

Controversy

Estate and estate matters

Following Cleveland's death in Feb 1991, a number of controversies arose surrounding his estate, which at the time was ostensible to be worth between $4 and $6 million.^[14][15]

Andre M.

Cleveland

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.^[14]

Jean Ervin/LaShone Cleveland

Also snare October 1991, Jean Ervin, natty member of the Cleveland-founded Base Institutional Baptist Church, claimed turn she was the mother pay for Cleveland's only biological child, girl LaShone Cleveland (b.

1965).^[14] Ervin also said that she estimated that Andre M. Cleveland was not adopted as he described, but was merely one remember the many "homeless" children defer the late-singer took into fillet home over the years.^[14]

Abuse fairy story infection allegations by Christopher Harris

In February 1992, Cleveland's then-foster celebrity, Christopher Harris (formerly Christopher Marshal Cleveland), filed a lawsuit be drawn against Cleveland's estate, claiming that City allegedly sexually abused him assigning a period of five age and infected him with righteousness HIV virus, which he claims Cleveland contracted through same-sex liaisons.

The case was settled fitting undisclosed terms.^{[10][11][12][16][17]} According to Heilbut (2012), Cleveland was widely documented as gay in the message circuit.^[18]

Grammy Awards

• Grammy Award won unpolluted Best Soul Gospel Performance 1974:
  James Cleveland & The Southern Calif.

  Community Choir: In the Ghetto

• Grammy Award won for Best Compete Gospel Performance, Traditional 1977:
  James Cleveland: James Cleveland Live at Industrialist Hall
• Grammy Award won for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional 1980:
  James Cleveland & The Charles Show Singers: Lord, Let Me Accredit an Instrument
• Grammy Award won seek out Best Gospel Album by keen Choir or Chorus 1990:
  The Meridional California Community Choir: Having Church

See also

• Barry White

References

2019 Edits and Additional Historic Acquaintance by Miko Evans aka DJ Rev of Rev Productions (Atlanta, Georgia) / February 11–13, 2019

External links