Richard Smallwood, the celebrated gospel singer, composer, and pianist whose music earned multiple Grammy nominations and influenced generations of artists, has died. He was 77.
Smallwood passed away Tuesday at a nursing center in Sandy Spring, Maryland, according to his publicist. The Washington Post reported he died after complications related to kidney failure.
Born in Atlanta, Smallwood moved to Washington, D.C., at just 10 years old — and his musical journey began almost immediately. By age 11, he had already formed his first gospel group. During his school years, he studied under legendary singer Roberta Flack at Browne Junior High, an early sign of the remarkable path ahead.
Smallwood later attended Howard University, where he earned a master’s degree in musicology and piano. In the late 1970s, he founded the Richard Smallwood Singers, a group that would help shape modern gospel music.
The ensemble earned a Grammy nomination in 1984 for their album Psalms, launching a legacy that continued for decades. Over the course of his career, Smallwood received eight Grammy nominations, with his most recent coming in 2012 for Best Gospel Song.
Beyond gospel circles, Smallwood’s music reached far into mainstream culture. His songs were recorded and performed by major artists including Destiny’s Child, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston. Houston famously recorded Smallwood’s powerful anthem “I Love the Lord” for the soundtrack of the 1996 film The Preacher’s Wife, introducing his work to an even wider audience.
Known for his deeply spiritual lyrics, complex arrangements, and emotional delivery, Smallwood became a cornerstone of contemporary gospel music while maintaining a reverent, classical foundation in his sound.
Smallwood never married and did not have children. He is survived by two brothers and three foster sisters.
Leave a Reply