Kurt Carr
| Kurt Carr | |
|---|---|
 Kurt Carr and the Kurt Carr Singers perform for President George W. Bush and guests on June 17, 2008 in the East Room of the White House. |
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| Background information | |
| Born | October 12, 1964 Hartford, Connecticut |
| Genres | Gospel, praise & worship |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Labels | Verity Gospel Music Group |
| Associated acts | The Kurt Carr Singers, James Cleveland |
| Website | http://www.kurtcarrgospel.com/ http://www.twitter.com/thekurtcarr |
Kurt Carr (born on October 12, 1964) 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.[citation needed]
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early years
Kurt Carr was born in the early 1960s in Hartford, Connecticut, 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.
[edit] Music career
Kurt was Andrae Crouch'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 Foxx, and Michelle Prather, altos Timiney Figueroa-Caton, Vonnie Lopez, and Nikki Potts, and tenor Troy Bright.
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.
[edit] Discography
- 1991: Together
- 1994: Serious About It
- 1997: No One Else
- 2000: Awesome Wonder
- 2005: One Church
- 2008: Just the Beginning
