Honoring Richard Smallwood: The Music, The Ministry, The Legacy
Richard Smallwood’s music helped generations pray, praise, and trust God. His songs remain a steady presence in worship, offering comfort, hope, and quiet strength.
We are saddened to announce the passing of world-renowned artist, songwriter, and musician, Richard Smallwood. The family asks that you respect our privacy during this difficult time, while helping to celebrate the legacy he leaves behind and the gifts he unselfishly shared with the world.
The Family of Richard SmallwoodThe gospel music community is remembering Richard Smallwood today.
The beloved composer, pianist, and singer passed away on December 30 at the age of 77, following complications from kidney failure. His passing marks the loss of a faithful servant whose music shaped worship for generations.
The Family of Richard SmallwoodRichard Smallwood didn’t just write gospel songs. He gave voice to prayer. His music met people in moments of praise, grief, and quiet surrender—and it continues to do so.
Honoring the Legacy of Richard Smallwood
Born in Atlanta and raised in Washington, D.C., Smallwood’s musical gift showed itself early. He played piano by ear at five. By eleven, he had already formed a gospel group. Music became both his language and his ministry.
At Howard University, he studied classical voice and piano, graduating cum laude. He helped establish Howard’s first gospel choir and performed with The Celestials, the first gospel group invited to the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
In 1977, he formed The Richard Smallwood Singers. Their debut album launched a recording career that would span more than forty years. Projects like Psalms and Textures earned Grammy nominations and introduced songs that are now woven into the fabric of gospel music.
Among them is “Total Praise,” written during a difficult season in his life. The song became a shared prayer for churches around the world. “Center of My Joy” followed that same spirit—honest, hopeful, and deeply rooted in faith.
Richard Smallwood’s Enduring Gift to Gospel Music
Smallwood’s music reached far beyond the church walls. Artists across genres recorded his work, including Whitney Houston, whose performance of “I Love the Lord” introduced his writing to an even wider audience.
Over the years, he received eight Grammy nominations, a Grammy win, and a Dove Award. He earned a Master of Divinity degree and was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Still, those closest to his music often point to something deeper—his ability to help people worship with sincerity and trust.
Richard Smallwood leaves behind a lasting legacy. His songs remain a comfort, a call to faith, and a reminder that worship can hold both sorrow and hope.
