Richard Smallwood - A Gospel Great

Imagine being able to play the paino by ear at age 5! That is Richard's testimony and evidence that he is not simply a technically trained and talented musician, but rather one called and gifted of God. As Richard began his formal piano training at 7, he began to hone the natural gift and aptitude placed in him by God. Over the years, training and gifting combined and, like cream, he just began to rise to the top.

Richard Smallwood reminds me of the story of David, who God also anointed to play. In fact, David's playing was so powerful, that evil spirits that assaulted the king would leave! Music is, and was, a powerful influence. King Saul understood this and he, himself, requested that a musician come and play. The king received this response:

1 Samuel 16:18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.

They sought out the young David (God began to move David into his destiny through his musical gift) and he agreed to come into King Saul's service. Here is the bilbical account of what transpired when David played:

1 Samuel 18:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Richard Smallwood, I believe, has a like anointing from God! His music is not only pleasing to the senses, but it penetrates far beyond the ear drums!

For the many times I've fallen
And yet You forgave me, thank You,
Lord, I thank You
For unmerited favor,
And Your brand new mercies
Thank You, how I thank You
For wakin' me up this morning
For letting me see one more dawning
Thank You, Lord, I thank You,
I thank You, Lord, Oooooh

For life, health, and strength
For food and for shelter,
thank You, Lord, I thank You
If I had ten thousand tongues
It just wouldn't be enough to say
Thank You, how I thank You
For wakin' me up this morning
For letting me see one more dawning
Thank You, Lord, I thank You,
I thank You, Lord, Oooooh
For saving my soul, for making me whole
For calming my fears, for wiping my tears
And letting me know that I'm not alone
For wakin' me up this morning
For letting me see one more dawning
Thank You, I thank You, Lord


Christian Music Lyrics by: Gospel Music

Richard Smallwood holds the notable distinction of having graduated from Howard University cum laude with degrees in both Piano and Vocal Performance! He also completed graduate work in ethnomusicology. Richard Smallwood is an awesome role model for young musicians and inspires them to pursue training and higher education to achieve mastery in their natural gift.

He also inspires adults that you can return to school later in life to pursue an education. His story affirms that God may move you from one position into another, even though you have already experienced enormous success! He answered the call to preach and become licensed to do so in 2003. In 2004, he received his Masters of Divinity from Howard University, School of Divinity and graduated with honors. Richard Smallwood currently serves as associate minister at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, under Pastor Beecher Hicks, Jr.

Richard formed his own group, The Richard Smallwood Singers, in 1977 and that group introduced black Gospel to the Soviet Union by personal tour, a first!

In 1982, Richard Smallwood launched his career as a recording artist with an album titled after the group, The Richard Smallwood Singers. This first project was a huge success. All the years of training and prepation were evident to the public and they gave him a round of applause, reflected by 87 weeks on Billboard's Gospel Chart.

There is something about being groomed by God! David, while he was brought into Saul's service to play, quickly became famous for defeating a giant! Greatness, especially greatness birthed by God, will come forth at its apointed time. Richard Smallwood's time had come and it seemed his trail blazing was to reach new heights, and still is!

His music touches, liberates, soothes, ministers, encourages, challenges and convicts. His music transcends the worldly realm to enter the spiritual, where deep work is accomplished by God.

Richard Smallwood is what I would term a trail blazer. He leads and others follow. He was a member of the first gospel group, the Celestials, to perform at Howard University. That same group broke ground by being the first Gospel group to appear at an international jazz festival held in Switzerland.

Richard Smallwood is acclaimed for having successfully blended traditional gospel and classical music into a form that is distinctly and uniquely his. He is known for hauntingly beautiful praise and worship songs that help you to enter into the presence of God and enhance your worship experience. His music touches the soul and spirit.

His music reached the big screen in The Preacher's Wife, featuring Whitney Houston and reached an even larger secular audience when recorded by Destiny's Child. He is well respected and admired by his peers. Gospel greats such as Yolanda Adams and Karen Clark-Sheard have recorded his compositions.

In 2005, Richard recorded Journey: Live in New York, a musical documentation of his personal journey to where he is today. It was between his last recording and the recording of Journey that Richard received his Degree in Divinity, and also represented the longest amount of time between releases. This is one artist who is noted for consistently providing the people of faith with freshly anointed material.

Journey was three years in the making, the way filled with many disappointments, but came to fruition and was released in 2007. There are a total of 12 new songs on this 2 CD set. Richard Smallwood draws on his rich associations and guest artists include: Chaka Khan, the Hawkins Family, Kelly Price, and brought back the Richard Smallwood Singers. His current band, Vision, provided the background vocals on this project. Journey marks Richard Smallwood's 25th anniversary in his music career and is his 11th album.

Richard Smallwood has received Dove and Stellar awards and a Grammy award. On November 4, 2006, Richard Smallwood was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame. I think we can expect more from this legendary musician/composer.

Psalm 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;

God has used anointed singers and musicians throughout scripture and particularly in times of battle. Joshua led the children of Israel to compass fortified Jericho once each day for six days. No sound was heard but the sound of the trumpets, blown by the priests who accompanied the ark, and who preceded the congregation. On the 7th day, when the trumpets sounded, the people were told to shout, for God had given them the city.

Joshua 6:13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

Joshua 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

Listening to anointed music is engaging in spiritual warfare. Music is a tool at your disposal and the Holy Spirit may lead you to listen to music at times when you are under spiritual attack. Anointed music will lift your spirit and encourage you when Satan is attempting to crush your spirit to depress you and cause you to give up.

Psalm 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

One of the best illustrations of music being instrumental in worship can be found in the book of 2 Chronicles, which records the dedication of Solomon's Temple:

2 Chronicles 5:13,14 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

Richard Smallwood has allowed himself to be used by God to minister to the Body of Christ through his playing, singing and songwriting. He is a rare gift!