Cynthia Clawson
Encyclopedia
Cynthia Clawson is a Grammy Award
-winning American
gospel
singer. She has been called "The most awesome voice in gospel music" by Billboard Magazine, and has received five Dove Awards, 15 Dove Award nominations, and a Grammy for her work.
.
Cynthia graduated from Howard Payne University with a major in vocal performance and a minor in piano. She won the Arthur Godfrey Talent Show her senior year in college.
called the CBS Newcomers. That show led her to a recording contract with record producer Buryl Red. Around that time, Buryl was writing a new musical with Ragan Courtney titled Celebrate Life; Cynthia was invited to record the solos for the original cast album.
Ragan Courtney and Cynthia Clawson were married within six months and began a creative collaboration.
In 1981, her recording of "The Lord's Prayer" with Andrae Crouch
, The Archers
(Janice Archer, Steve Archer
, Tim Archer), B.J. Thomas, Dony McGuire, Reba Rambo, Tramaine Hawkins & Walter Hawkins
won the Grammy Award for the Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary Or Inspirational category. She performed on the Grammy show that year.
In 1985, Cynthia's rendition of "Softly and Tenderly" was included in the soundtrack of the Academy Award winning movie The Trip to Bountiful
.
In later years, Cynthia became closely associated with Bill and Gloria Gaither
, and frequently sang with them. She has sung in a variety of prestigious venues, including a concert at London's Wembley Stadium
.
She was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Houston Baptist University in 1995.
Cynthia has a son, Will, and a daughter, Lily. Lily graduated from The University of Texas with a degree in Religious Studies and works for the family-owned music production company. Will and Lily have released their own Indie rock
CD called Brothers and Sisters.
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
singer. She has been called "The most awesome voice in gospel music" by Billboard Magazine, and has received five Dove Awards, 15 Dove Award nominations, and a Grammy for her work.
Biographical information
Cynthia was three years old when her father asked her to sing in the small church he pastored. From that time, she sang in local neighborhood churches, and Robert Schuller's The Hour of PowerThe Hour of Power
Hour of Power is a weekly American Christian television program currently hosted by Sheila Schuller Coleman. It was previously hosted by her brother, Robert A. Schuller, and her father, Robert H. Schuller, who founded the program. It is broadcast from the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove,...
.
Cynthia graduated from Howard Payne University with a major in vocal performance and a minor in piano. She won the Arthur Godfrey Talent Show her senior year in college.
Career
Cynthia was spotted by a CBS television producer who signed her to headline a summer replacement for The Carol Burnett ShowThe Carol Burnett Show
The Carol Burnett Show is a variety / sketch comedy television show starring Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway. It originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 278 episodes and originated from CBS Television City's Studio 33...
called the CBS Newcomers. That show led her to a recording contract with record producer Buryl Red. Around that time, Buryl was writing a new musical with Ragan Courtney titled Celebrate Life; Cynthia was invited to record the solos for the original cast album.
Ragan Courtney and Cynthia Clawson were married within six months and began a creative collaboration.
In 1981, her recording of "The Lord's Prayer" with Andrae Crouch
Andrae Crouch
Andraé Crouch is a seven-time Grammy Award-winning American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, recording artist, record producer, and pastor.-Early years:Born Andraé Edward Crouch in San Francisco, California....
, The Archers
The Archers (musical group)
The Archers were one of America's earliest Contemporary Christian music groups. They were originally brothers Tim and Steve Archer, Nancye Short and Billy Rush Masters. After Masters and Short departed in 1977, sister Janice Archer joined....
(Janice Archer, Steve Archer
Steve Archer
Steve Archer is an American singer-songwriter and producer. He is a pioneer of the genre of Jesus music, later to become known as contemporary Christian music...
, Tim Archer), B.J. Thomas, Dony McGuire, Reba Rambo, Tramaine Hawkins & Walter Hawkins
Walter Hawkins
Walter Hawkins was an American gospel music singer, and a pastor. Hawkins was consecrated to the bishopic in 1992. He died at his home in Ripon, California, from pancreatic cancer....
won the Grammy Award for the Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary Or Inspirational category. She performed on the Grammy show that year.
In 1985, Cynthia's rendition of "Softly and Tenderly" was included in the soundtrack of the Academy Award winning movie The Trip to Bountiful
The Trip to Bountiful
The Trip to Bountiful is a 1985 film starring Geraldine Page, John Heard, Carlin Glynn, Richard Bradford and Rebecca De Mornay. Geraldine Page won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Carrie Watts. The movie was adapted by Horton Foote from his television play. The Trip to...
.
In later years, Cynthia became closely associated with Bill and Gloria Gaither
Gloria Gaither
Gloria Gaither is a Christian songwriter, author, speaker, editor, and academic. She is the wife of Bill Gaither and also sang in the Bill Gaither Trio, one of the most influential groups in recent Christian music.-Early Years:...
, and frequently sang with them. She has sung in a variety of prestigious venues, including a concert at London's Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
.
She was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Houston Baptist University in 1995.
Current life and family
Cynthia Clawson Courtney and Ragan Courtney are currently co-pastors of The Sanctuary in Austin, Texas where they design worship services using theatre and music as a means of religious expression.Cynthia has a son, Will, and a daughter, Lily. Lily graduated from The University of Texas with a degree in Religious Studies and works for the family-owned music production company. Will and Lily have released their own Indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
CD called Brothers and Sisters.
Discography
- In The Garden (1974)
- A Private Showing (1975)
- The Way I Feel (1977, reissue 2005)
- It Was His Love (1979)
- You're Welcome Here (1981, reissue 2005)
- Finest Hour (1982, reissue 2005)
- Forever (1983 resissue 2005)
- Immortal (1986, reissue 2005)
- Hymnsinger (1988)
- Carolsinger (1989)
- Words Will Never Do (1990)
- Cynthia's Greatest Hits (1991)
- Blessed Assurance: Songs My Grandmother Taught Me (1993)
- River of Memories (1994)
- Prayers and Plainsong (1995)
- Smoke on the Mountain (1998)
- Broken: Healing the Heart (1999)
- Carols and Chant (2005)
- See Me, God (2006)
- Episodes (2008)
- Always (2009)
Awards
- 1980 Dove award Female Vocalist of the Year
- 1981 Dove award Female Vocalist of the Year
- 1981 Dove Award Inspirational Album of the Year—You're Welcome Here;
- 1981 Dove Award Recorded Music Packaging of the Year—You're Welcome Here
- 1981 Grammy Award Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary Or Inspirational--"The Lord's Prayer"
- 1982 Dove Award Recorded Music Packaging of the Year—Finest Hour
- 2005 Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame (July 2005)