Long before you go to No. 1 with his genre-defying signature hit, there were years when it was questionable whether Kirk Franklin would even survive.

Abandoned by his parents when he was 4 years old, Kirk was raised in Fort Worth, Texas, by an elderly aunt. With finances being tight, the two collected cans and paper to be recycled and used the money to pay for piano lessons. Apparently, those music lessons were well worth it. At age 11, Kirk was appointed minister of music, leading the adult choir at his aunt’s church.

1. Speaking of Hot
Kirk confesses, “I’m still not where I want to be in my walk, but I’m in hot pursuit of Him.”

2. Turning Up the Heat
No matter how he dresses, Kirk always leaves an indelible image. Foremost fashion faux pas:  dressing for an outside venue when the service was held indoors.  It wasn’t just the music that was hot.

3. Well-Versed
Currently, Kirk is tuned into Proverbs 3:5. (Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.)

4. Extended Family
Technically, Kirk is a solo artist; but he always travels with a posse of stellar singers and musicians. In his search for talent, he looks for people with “great hearts. It always starts with the heart of the person,” Kirk says. He views his relationship with his ensembles as one of being “a big brother or father figure.”

5. Safe at Home
Yes, Kirk is a natural performer; but he’s also at home, at home. “My desire is to be a passionate father and attentive husband,” he asserts. He loves going to movies and Chuck E. Cheese’s with his kids to “watch them have what I never had.” While most gospel music is based in Nashville, Detroit or Los Angeles, he remains true to his roots in Dallas. “It’s all I’ve ever known.”

American gospel singer and award-winning artiste Jekalyn Carr has been honored recently in Washington DC at the Women’s Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards

Carr, the first Gospel artist to receive this prestigious induction, was celebrated at an elite event hosted by Jody Watley at the National Museum of Women In Arts. This recognition honors her significant contributions to the gospel genre and Carr’s continued ability to inspire and encourage people through her songs.

Carr is undoubtedly one of the top young artists in gospel music, reflected by her consistent sales and radio successes. All before the age of 21, Jekalyn amassed six singles in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart and has earned four Number 1 singles, including her most recent topper, “Changing Your Story.” Jekalyn is a 4x Grammy Nominee and multiple Stellar Award and Dove Award winners.

Koryn Hawthrone delivers a stunning live performance of her 2020 track “speak to me” In which she pleads with God to speak to her. 

For the latest edition of GRAMMY.com’s inspirational music video series, Positive vibes only, GRAMMY-nominated American Gospel singer Koryn Hawthrone takes us to church music. It was a performance that was opened by Actor Tabitha Brown with a charming dedication to the power and influence of music. In the powerful video, which you can watch in full below, Hawthrone delivers a lively rendition of her 2020 R&B-styled gospel track “speak to me” which featured on her sophomore album “I Am” which debuted at #1 on Nielsen’s current Gospel Album Chart and  #2 on Billboard’s Gospel Consumption chart.

The songs on CeCe Winans latest album are the kind of praise and worship songs she has always turned to for hope and inspiration.

“I grew up in the church and loved being in worship service with everybody singing and praising the Lord together,” she says. “It’s uplifting! So, that’s what I wanted to do with this album.”  The album includes familiar songs like “King of Glory,” “Hunger,” and “Worthy of it All,” but also new cuts like “No Greater” and the title track, “Believe For It,” a song she co-wrote.  

All are designed to offer strength and encouragement at a time it’s so desperately needed. “With people suffering the way they’ve suffered, a lot of people have lost family members and are still dealing with sickness, I think it’s right on time to really encourage people to believe again.”

Although Winans, a 12-time GRAMMY winner, 23-time DOVE award-winner, and recipient of multiple other awards and honors, has been performing and recording music for more than thirty years, “Believe for It” is her first ‘live’ album. She admits doing a live album in the midst of a pandemic was no easy task.  

“I had never done a live record before, right?” she says with a laugh. “And I was like, ‘God, this is the first time I do a live record and now I’ve got to do it in front of no people? I always tell people I sing for an audience of one, but I didn’t mean like this!”

Winans and her team were able to make it work. Since the album was recorded in the latter part of 2020, they were able to invite a small number of audience members and seat them throughout the venue.  

“It wasn’t the live concert I was planning on, but we were able to do that. And we were also able to allow some of the people from our church to hear it and they were able to respond which was pretty amazing. So, if you listen to the record, you get a little bit of the live feel.”

Those who follow Winans know she’s part of an extremely talented musical family whose members have been a major force in Gospel music for decades. She grew up in Detroit, one of 10 children born to David and Delores Winans.

“I have seven older brothers,” she explains. “I was the first girl and I have two younger sisters and we all sang.”

All are well-known artists in their own right. Her four older brothers, The Winans, were discovered by the late Gospel great, Andre Crouch. Later, CeCe and her brother, BeBe, began performing as a duo, before venturing off to do their own solo projects. Her brother, Daniel, and sisters, Debbie, and Angie, have all, also been successful in music.

Through the years, Winans has also collaborated with many artists outside her family.

“I’ve been able to meet people in every genre and it’s been amazing,” she explains.

She joined close friend, Whitney Houston in 1995 to record a song featured in the movie “Waiting to Exhale. ” And before the holidays, she recorded a duet with Carrie Underwood for Underwood’s upcoming hymns album.

“You know, Whitney was a dear friend of mine, and Whitney and I definitely had a connection because she, too, was raised in the church. And with Carrie, I met her shortly after she won American Idol, when we both sang at The White House. I remember thinking, wow, she can really sing! Of course, since then, I’ve seen her career grow and blossom.”

Late last year, Winans reached out to Underwood to see if she would record a song for an online concert Winans was headlining as part of her fundraising efforts for Compassion LIVE (a faith-based organization that helps lift children out of poverty). Interestingly enough, as she was trying to track down Underwood, Underwood was trying to connect with her. Underwood ended up singing with Winans for the Compassion LIVE concert, and Winans went into the studio to record their duet for Underwood’s album.

Today, Winans calls Nashville, Tennessee, home. Eight years ago, she and her husband, Alvin, co-founded a church called Nashville Life Church. They have two adult children: a son just named head pastor of their church, and a daughter, who recently gave Winans her first grandchild.

“Yes, a little boy and he is adorable!” she says. “I’m smitten with him and he’s just the joy of my life.”

The baby arrived on Christmas day. Not only was he born during a pandemic, he also came on the same day Nashville suffered a devastating bomb blast downtown.

“My daughter was in the hospital and because of COVID I couldn’t be with her, so thank God for technology because my son-in-law kept us posted. And when she got into her room, she Facetimed me and I was like, oh no, I can’t be there. So, I am praying for her, and an explosion happens downtown, but then Wyatt Thomas was born later that evening. And I was just so grateful they were both okay.”

Winans has been busy spending time with family, but also working to promote the new album she hopes will give strength and encouragement to those in need. She says the 12 songs, including covers of some of her favorite inspirational songs like “Never Lost,” were all carefully chosen to be both a celebration, but offer peace of mind.

“These are songs have touched my heart, encouraged me, and lifted my spirit.”  

As she performed them before a less-than-capacity-crowd for the live album, her overriding goal was to be able to share the powerful inspiration they’ve given her – with others.

“I said, God, just let me capture your spirit. If I capture your spirit, then people are going to receive what they need to receive from it. And after I heard it, I was like, thank you, God.”