Kurt Carr
Encyclopedia
Kurt Carr is an American gospel music
composer and performer. While living in the city of Hartford, Connecticut
he served as Minister of Music at The First Baptist Church of Hartford located at the time on Greenfield Street. Kurt credits Archbishop LeRoy Bailey as a positive influence in starting his professional gospel career, as Archbishop Bailey enabled Carr to perform his own music during church services.
, where he grew up in a family who believed in Jesus
, but was not deeply involved in church. At the age of 13, Kurt found himself being increasingly drawn to the church. In his early teen years, he performed as an actor and dancer at the Hartford Stage Company in a Broadway musical called "On the Town," which was directed by the late Clay Johnson. He became an active member in his church's music department. At the age of 17, he realized that he was being called to do something even higher with his life. After high school, Kurt entered into the music program at the University of Connecticut
, where he studied classical music
and earned a Fine Arts degree. Carr is a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.
's piano accompanist for Crouch’s music ministry for one year. After playing there for a year, Rev. James Cleveland hired Carr to be musical director and pianist for Rev. Cleveland’s ministry. He was employed there for seven years until Rev. Cleveland died. Eventually, Carr became director of the West Los Angeles Church of God in Christ
Choir, where he had the opportunity to work with both Gospel
and Secular musical artists, such as Stevie Wonder
, Gladys Knight
, Yolanda Adams
, and Kirk Franklin
. In 1989 while in Los Angeles
, Carr formed a six member vocal ensemble Gospel singers group, called The Kurt Carr Singers. The group has grown to seven members and now includes sopranos Yvette Williams, Nakitta Clegg-Foxx, and Michelle Prather, altos Timiney Figueroa-Caton, Vonnie Lopez, and Nikki Potts, and tenors Troy Bright and Brandon Winbush.
Carr’s music is an interesting blend of traditional Gospel composition and vocals, elements of R&B, jazz
, soul
, blues
, and the distinct modern harmonies and singing styles found in Urban Contemporary Gospel. The Kurt Carr Singers under Kurt Carr’s direction and musical influence have created six albums. Kurt Carr has won four Stellar awards.
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
composer and performer. While living in the city of Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
he served as Minister of Music at The First Baptist Church of Hartford located at the time on Greenfield Street. Kurt credits Archbishop LeRoy Bailey as a positive influence in starting his professional gospel career, as Archbishop Bailey enabled Carr to perform his own music during church services.
Early years
Kurt Carr was born in the early 1960s in Hartford, ConnecticutHartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, where he grew up in a family who believed in Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, but was not deeply involved in church. At the age of 13, Kurt found himself being increasingly drawn to the church. In his early teen years, he performed as an actor and dancer at the Hartford Stage Company in a Broadway musical called "On the Town," which was directed by the late Clay Johnson. He became an active member in his church's music department. At the age of 17, he realized that he was being called to do something even higher with his life. After high school, Kurt entered into the music program at the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
, where he studied classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and earned a Fine Arts degree. Carr is a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.
Music career
Kurt was Andrae CrouchAndrae Crouch
Andraé Crouch is a seven-time Grammy Award-winning American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, recording artist, record producer, and pastor.-Early years:Born Andraé Edward Crouch in San Francisco, California....
's piano accompanist for Crouch’s music ministry for one year. After playing there for a year, Rev. James Cleveland hired Carr to be musical director and pianist for Rev. Cleveland’s ministry. He was employed there for seven years until Rev. Cleveland died. Eventually, Carr became director of the West Los Angeles Church of God in Christ
Church of God in Christ
The Church of God in Christ is a Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination with a predominantly African-American membership. With nearly five million members in the United States and 12,000 congregations, it is the largest Pentecostal church and the fifth largest Christian church in the U.S....
Choir, where he had the opportunity to work with both Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
and Secular musical artists, such as Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
, Yolanda Adams
Yolanda Adams
Yolanda Adams is an American Grammy- and Dove-award-winning Yolanda Adams is an American [[Grammy Awards|Grammy]]- and [[Dove Awards|Dove]]-award-winning...
, and Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
. In 1989 while in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Carr formed a six member vocal ensemble Gospel singers group, called The Kurt Carr Singers. The group has grown to seven members and now includes sopranos Yvette Williams, Nakitta Clegg-Foxx, and Michelle Prather, altos Timiney Figueroa-Caton, Vonnie Lopez, and Nikki Potts, and tenors Troy Bright and Brandon Winbush.
Carr’s music is an interesting blend of traditional Gospel composition and vocals, elements of R&B, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, and the distinct modern harmonies and singing styles found in Urban Contemporary Gospel. The Kurt Carr Singers under Kurt Carr’s direction and musical influence have created six albums. Kurt Carr has won four Stellar awards.
Discography
- 1991: Together
- 1994: Serious About It
- 1997: No One Else
- 2000: Awesome Wonder
- 2005: One Church
- 2008: Just the Beginning