Twinkie Clark to Celebrate Her 70th Birthday with Notable Guests and Orchestra Performing Her Classic Compositions

NEW YORK, CA, UNITED STATES, October 8, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Living Legend and two-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark to celebrate her 70th Birthday in a tribute concert on Friday, November 15, 2024 with notable guests including Kim Burrell, Angel Chisholm, Jaqueline Echols McCarley, Juandolyn Stokes, Kierra Sheard-Kelly, The Clark Sisters, Bettye Nelson, Damien Sneed & Friends, featuring Chenee Campbell, Tiffany Stevenson Freeman, Markita Knight, Anitra Raquel McKinney, Alicia Peters-Jordan, and Linny Smith, and accompanied by the acclaimed Orchestra of Tomorrow, conducted by music director Damien Sneed. The special event celebration will take place at the Michael A. Guido Theater, located at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48126. For tickets, please visit www.DearbornTheater.com.

The recipient of The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Stellar Awards’ James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award, Twinkie will be celebrated by family, friends, supporters, and fans. “Honoring my mentor and friend, Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark, goes without saying,” says Sneed, founder and executive director of LeChateau Arts, who will present an elegant evening of Twinkie’s compositions arranged in various musical genres and styles. “Many people are unaware that she is responsible for much of my musical success and ministry development. Twinkie gave me my first professional opportunity to record one of my original compositions, ‘Here With You,’ distributed by a major record label. She introduced me to my former covering, the late Bishop Iona Locke, for whom Twinkie was her first minister of music. She also introduced me to her siblings, The Clark Sisters, which allowed me to later work closely with her sister, Karen Clark Sheard. Twinkie continues to support me with advice and love. I am honored to have an opportunity to bless someone who has given their life by blessing others with her melodies, lyrics, and messages.”

A composer, songwriter, producer, and musician, “The Queen of the B3 Hammond,” and “The Mother of Contemporary Gospel Music,” Twinkie is best known as the leader of the American Gospel group, The Clark Sisters, along with her sisters, Jackie Clark Chisholm, Denise Clark Bradford, Dorinda Clark Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Twinkie has composed more than 350 songs. She has recorded several solo music projects, including her debut studio album, PRAISE BELONGS TO GOD (1979), followed two years later by YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER (1981), COMIN' HOME (1992), and THE MASTERPIECE (1996). In 1996, she made her live debut in the collaborative album, TWINKIE CLARK-TERRELL PRESENTS THE FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY GOSPEL CHOIR. In 2002, she released TWINKIE CLARK & FRIENDS...LIVE IN CHARLOTTE, and in 2004, she released HOME ONCE AGAIN: LIVE IN DETROIT. She also released WITH HUMILITY (2011), LIVE & UNPLUGGED (2013), and a collaborative album, THE GENERATIONS (2020) with her nephew, Larry Clark; and a tribute album to her, DONALD LAWRENCE PRESENTS POWER: A TRIBUTE TO TWINKIE CLARK (2024). Earlier this year, for the first time, Twinkie hit the Billboard charts as the No. 1 soloist for her song, “In Him There Is No Sorrow.”

Throughout her legendary career, Twinkie has produced albums for several choirs and traveled the world as an evangelist, workshop facilitator, and music educator. She has had her compositions recorded and sampled by some of the Gospel greats and award-winning popular music recordings such as Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Faith Evans, Coko, Fantasia, Lil' Mo, Aaliyah, and numerous others.

Twinkie credits her musical gifts to God and recognizes her mother, the late Dr. Mattie Moss Clark as her greatest inspiration. Twinkie also attended Howard University, where she sharpened her musical skills and received her formal music education. She received an honorary doctorate’s degree of Sacred Music from the Christian Bible Institute and Seminary. In April 2020, Lifetime cable network presented The Clark Sisters in their biopic, The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel produced by Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, and Missy Elliott to rave reviews. The movie details their humble beginnings and struggles to find their place, which they later became the best-selling Gospel group in music. The film featured re-recordings of some of The Clark Sisters’ biggest hits and classics including “You Brought The Sunshine,” among many others. The Clark Sisters released their latest recording, The Return, at the same time as the movie release.

Twinkie is also the winner and recipient of numerous awards and honors including multiple Stellar Gospel Music Awards, Gospel Music Associations’ Dove Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Soul Train Awards, and BMI Awards and honors. She was recently honored by The Church Of God In Christ (COGIC) for her contributions to the music department and is credited with giving the church its “COGIC Sound.”

Gwendolyn Quinn
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