RICHARD SMALLWOOD, GRAMMY-WINNING GOSPEL LEGEND WHOSE SONGS WERE COVERED BY WHITNEY HOUSTON AND DESTINY’S CHILD, DIES AT 77.(PHOTO).

Richard Smallwood, Grammy-winning gospel legend whose songs were covered by Whitney Houston and Destiny’s Child, dies at 77

Richard Smallwood, the Grammy-nominated gospel singer, songwriter, and pianist whose work became a defining force in modern gospel music, has died at age 77.

Smallwood passed away on Tuesday from complications of kidney failure at a Maryland rehabilitation and nursing center, according to a representative. Over a career spanning more than 40 years, he became one of gospel music’s most influential figures, earning eight Grammy nominations along with multiple Dove and Stellar Awards. His compositions later reached mainstream audiences, with artists such as Whitney Houston and Destiny’s Child recording his songs.

As the founder of the Richard Smallwood Singers and later the choir Vision, he created enduring gospel classics including “Total Praise,” “Trust Me,” and “I’ll Trust You.” Houston recorded his “I Love the Lord” for the 1996 film The Preacher’s Wife, while Destiny’s Child covered “Total Praise” in a 2007 a cappella medley. The song “Total Praise” has been performed in diverse settings, from funeral services to interfaith choral events, including a Hebrew-language rendition at a New Jersey Jewish choir festival.

Born in November 1948 in Atlanta and raised in Washington, D.C., Smallwood began playing piano at age 5 and formed his first gospel group at 11. He later attended Howard University, earning a music degree and joining the school’s first gospel ensemble, the Celestials. In 1977, he founded the Richard Smallwood Singers, signing with Onyx Records in 1982. Their debut album remained on the Billboard Spiritual Album Sales chart for 87 weeks, and the 1984 follow-up, Psalms, earned him his first Grammy nomination, launching decades of acclaim.

Smallwood disbanded the Richard Smallwood Singers in the early 1990s and formed Vision, which supported him on several albums through 2015. Their recording “Trust Me” reached No. 9 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart and earned him his final Grammy nomination in 2012 for best gospel song.

As a songwriter, Smallwood combined deep religious faith with diverse musical influences, ranging from traditional church music to Bach and Motown soul. He consistently emphasized the spiritual purpose of his work over commercial gain, saying in 2015, “This is not about making money. It’s about winning souls and encouraging people through Christ.”

In 2019, Smallwood published his autobiography, Total Praise, reflecting on his family, faith, and musical journey. In his later years, he faced mild dementia and other health challenges that prevented him from recording new music.