Andraé Crouch: Founding Father of a Movement
Whether you have grown up in the church or never even stepped foot into one, you are bound to have heard music that has the anointed touch of Andraé Crouch.
Sunday after Sunday, congregations sing the refrains of faith-defining anthems such as “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power,” modern-day classics like “Let the Church Say Amen,” and my granddaddy’s favorite devotional song, “Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus.” Because of dynamic songs such as these, as well as the masterful contemporary sound that is embedded in them, it is said that Crouch helped to craft “today’s modern gospel” music.1 However, his gifts were not solely kept within the walls of the church, let alone the Black Church.
Consider Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” and Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror.” Crouch extended his talents to these major pop singles by giving them that soulful choir edge that many admire. He also made musical contributions to beloved major motion pictures such as The Color Purple and The Lion King. Even within the vein of gospel music, the artist found a way to compose tunes that appealed to white (and other non-black) Christian listeners and gained the attention of celebrated figures such as the great evangelist, Billy Graham, and Tennessee Ernie Ford.2
On January 8th, 2015, the world lost Andraé Crouch at the age of 72 years old.
In accord with the theme of this post series, Kingdom Rising: Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide, it is only proper to give honor to Pastor Crouch because of the tremendous contributions he has made in extending his talents to people for the glory of God. Truly he has laid the groundwork for artists who spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in creative and innovative ways so that souls of all backgrounds can be reached and impacted.
Personally, I am a young man who has knowingly and unknowingly been touched by the work of Crouch since childhood. What a great gift he has been to me, to the body of Christ, and to music admirers everywhere.
Lasting Impression
Check out these notable articles that celebrate the life and music of Andraé Crouch:
“Andraé Crouch, ‘Father Of Modern Gospel,’ Dies” by Christopher Dean Hopkins (NPR)
“Andraé Crouch, Who Moved Gospel Into The 21st Century, Has Died” by Frannie Kelley (The Record, NPR)
How has the life and/or music of Andraé Crouch touched your life? Feel free to leave a comment.
- Farai Chideya. “Gospel Singer Andraé Crouch: ‘Mighty Wind.'” NPR. Last modified June 12, 2006. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5478515. ↩
- Frannie Kelley. “Andraé Crouch, Who Moved Gospel Into The 21st Century, Has Died.” The Record: Music News from NPR. Last modified January 9, 2015. http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2015/01/09/376154477/andra-crouch-who-moved-gospel-into-the-21st-century-has-died. ↩