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- The Soul Stirrers 44 19870.
- Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir 37 26176.
- Supreme Jubilees 32 8834.
- Shirley Ann Lee 30 7078.
- Aretha Franklin
- Marvin Gaye
- Stevie Wonder
- James Brown
- Sam Cooke
- Ray Charles
- Whitney Houston
- Otis Redding
- Al Green
- Irma Thomas
Known as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklinhas to top any list of the best and most loved soul artists ever. Franklin captivated the stage from childhood when she sang gospel at her father’s church and signed with Columbia Records at 18. Some of Franklin’s biggest hits include the iconic “Respect,” “Chain of Fools,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” and “Fr...
Nicknamed the “Prince of Soul” or the “Prince of Motown,” legendary male soul singerMarvin Gaye helped shape the sound of Motown during the 1960s as an in-house session player and recording artist. Growing up, Gaye’s father, who would later fatally shoot him, was very abusive. Gaye started singing doo-wop music as an outlet for his home life. He ga...
Born Stevland Hardaway Morris, childhood prodigy Stevie Wonderhas pioneered many music genres for over 60 years. Wonder went blind shortlyafter he was born, but that didn’t stop him from showing his musical talent. He was signed by Motown Records at age 11 and had his first #1 single when he was only 13. Over the next six decades, Wonder has revolu...
Nicknamed the “Godfather of Soul,” James Brownwas the forefather of American funk music, bringing soul and funk together. Brown came from very humble beginnings, born to teenage parents in a wooden shack in South Carolina. He dropped out of school during sixth grade and was imprisoned for robbery. It was there in prison that he met singer Bobby Byr...
Also known as the “King of Soul,” Sam Cooke was a pioneering soul artist that inspired the careers of most of the well great soul singers we have today. He was born Samuel Cook and added the “e” to his last name to signify the start of his solo career in 1957. In less than a decade, he released 29 singles that charted in the BillboardTop 40. Some o...
Often referred to as simply “The Genius,” Ray Charlesis regarded as one of the most influential singers of all time. He pioneered the soul music genre by combining blues, jazz, R&B, and gospel. Charles was raised by a single mother in Georgia. He lost his sight at age seven and learned classical piano with braille sheet music while attending Florid...
Nicknamed “The Voice,” Whitney Houstonis one of the best-selling musicians of all time, selling over 200 million records worldwide. She is considered to be one of the most talented singers ever. Houston was born and raised in New Jersey and was part of a legendary musical family, with Aretha Franklin as her honorary aunt. Over her career, she won e...
Considered one of the greatest American singers of all time, Otis Reddingis a pioneer in both soul and R&B music. Born into poverty in Georgia, he dropped out of school at 15 and helped support his family by playing in Little Richard’s backup band. Initially, Redding was mostly popular in the African American music scene and slowly grew a name for ...
Sometimes referred to as “The Last Of The Great Soul Singers,” Al Green’s ongoing career has spanned over 60 years. Raised in a conservative religious family, Green was kicked out of the house in his teens for listening to rock singer Jackie Wilson. This only encouraged his musical tendencies, and he formed his first band with classmates from his h...
Known as the “Soul Queen Of New Orleans,” Irma Thomas is a contemporary of legends like Aretha Franklin with a career spanning over 50 years. At age 19, Thomas was working as a waitress in New Orleans and had four children. None of that stopped her from pursuing her singing dreams. She sang with various New Orleans artists while waitressing and eve...
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Everybody’s Gonna Have a Wonderful Time Up There. Elvis Presley, himself a fine gospel performer, named Sister Rosetta Tharpe as one of his favorite singers and guitar players.
- Hank Williams: I Saw the Light. Hank Williams’s “I Saw the Light” is one of the finest examples of country gospel. He reportedly penned the song on the journey home from a dance in Fort Deposit, Alabama, when his mother Lilly saw a beacon light near Dannelly Field Airport and roused her son with the words, ”Hank, wake up, we’re nearly home.
- Sidney Bechet: When The Saints Go Marching In. This celebrated feel-good song (with lyrics that take much of their inspiration from the Book Of Revelations) became something of a jazz-gospel standard after Louis Armstrong’s impressive 1938 version.
- Sam Cooke: Peace in the Valley. Sam Cooke grew up listening to “Peace in the Valley,” a song written in 1937 for Mahalia Jackson by Thomas A. Dorsey, and which was later recorded by hundreds of musicians, including Presley and Little Richard.
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The following list of list of best-selling gospel music artists includes music acts from the 20th century to the present who have recorded gospel music. This information cannot be listed officially, as there is no organization that has recorded global music sales.
- Reverend Gary Davis (1896-1972) Gospel blues has a long tradition of notable performers – including Son House, Blind Willie Johnson, and Skip James – and perhaps the most distinguished was Reverend Gary Davis.
- Thomas A Dorsey (1899-1993) Thomas A Dorsey was widely known as the father of gospel music, writing many of the world’s greatest gospel songs. Moments before Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972) Mahalia Jackson’s soulful renditions of gospel music thrilled fans the world over, including Presidents and royalty. Her powerful and melodious voice brought tears to the eyes of listeners.
- Sallie Martin (1895-1988) Georgia-born Sallie Martin was a contemporary of Dorsey and Jackson, and her show singing earned her the title of The Mother Of Gospel Music.
Browse the top gospel soul artists to find new music. Scrobble songs to get recommendations on tracks you'll love.
Gospel Soul is a genre of music that combines elements of gospel music and soul music. It is characterized by its uplifting, inspirational, and spiritual lyrics, as well as its use of traditional gospel instruments such as the piano, organ, and drums.
