A 90’s Church Girl’s Gospel Music Playlist

Aug 25

In the 90s, gospel music underwent immense transformation. To a great extent, the trimmings of conservatism of previous decades were loosed and the lines between sacred and secular blurred. Sometimes, the synchrony made difficult the differentiation between a gospel song and a R&B track due to the invisibility of sacred markers.

Need I say that it was a sublime moment for a music junkie like yours truly. One could relax and enjoy good ol’ gospel without being reminded of the lake of fire and those who go there. Gospel music in the 90s was reduced to devil’s music and defined as liberally extremist. However, the devil’s music was fun to hear. It was the dawn of a new era which was not subscribed to by all gospel artists, but for a certainty, no matter the stylistic inclination of the artists on the gospel landscape, different gospel music subcultures emerged and co-existed.

If you needed classy orchestrated gospel, you turned to Ron Kenoly and Morris Chapman. If R&B flavoured gospel was your cup of tea, Bebe & Cece Winans, Marvin Sapp and Yolanda Adams were right there. Beverly Crawford and Dottie Peoples delivered conventional gospel sophistication, while Kim Burrell served crispy gospel jazz. And if you longed for inspirational gospel, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Helen Baylor and Donnie McClurkin empowered you with strong, sonorous and enchanting voices.

And if freespirited and rocky gospel piqued your interest, Crystal Lewis was the way. And if street Hip-Hop gospel was your preferred flavour, Kirk Franklin knew how to make you dance and chant along. And if you wished for a sombre mellow gospel vibe, Fred Hammond held the reins. And if you wanted a good old fashioned gospel choir, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir and Mississippi Mass Choir took you to church.

What follows is a list of my favourite gospel songs from the 90s.

1. Alvin Slaughter. “Holy Holy Holy”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5zD9H_02Yk God Can (1996).

2. Amy Grant. “I Will Remember You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2wrtoloJ6k Heart In Motion (1991).

3.Bebe & Cece Winans. “Stay With Me” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnArKwbXNv0 Relationships (1994).

4. Beverly Crawford. “Trust in God” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSJ_2IQBIl4 Jesus Precious King (1996).

5. Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. “I’m Not Afraid” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa_kNi3K9eY Praise Him.....Live (1995).

6. Candi Staton. “You Dont Know the God You Serve” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnif0YrIfZw Stand Up and be a Witness (1990).

7. Cece Winans. “King of Kings (He’s a Wonder)” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9ENs0WHLXQ Alabaster Box (1999).

8. Crystal Lewis. “Lord I Believe In You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHLTBYxkfQQ Gold (1998).

9. Donnie McClurkin. “Stand” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwUoAJLv5dU Donnie Mcclurkin (1996).

10. Dottie Peoples. ”Praise the Lord” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgk7N21KCbY Testify (1997).

11. Fred Hammond. “No Weapon” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyxijE3Hvzo The Spirit of David (1996).

12. Helen Baylor. “Awesome God” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdMe591tVqo Helen Baylor....Live (1999).

13. John P. Kee. “Stand”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEFPAoKbPmg Stand with Victory in Praise Choir (1996).

14. Karen Clark-Sheard. “The Will of God” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YncPMf7iCKY Finally Karen (1997).

15. Kim Burrell. “I’ll Keep Holding On” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkVJSnFHSes Everlasting Life (1998).

16. Kirk Franklin. “Riverside” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG5XfdQKMOA The Nu Nation Project (1998).

17. Lionel Petersen. “Lift Up Your Eyes” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYAj0DzaDAo

18. Marvin Sapp. “Power” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uat_4q77f-o Nothing Else Matters (1999).

19. Mississippi Mass Choir. ”Psalm 34” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWvEcjC9n1c Emmanuel (God with Us) (1999).

20. Morris Chapman “With All Of My Heart” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyMTm7iFh_A Live Worship with Morris Chapman (1990).

21. Ron Kenoly. “The Light of Life” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gdbRTLZ_a8 God is Able (1994).

22. Shirley Caesar. “I Cannot Stop Praising the Lord” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rje-QPGCfm4 I Remember Mama (1989).

23. The Clark Sisters. “Miracle” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSxj-CAXKsM Miracle (1994).

24. The Maranatha Singers. “Hear The Call” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPdPgZfkzKI Halleluyah 16 Songs of Joyful Boasting (1989).

25. Trinitee 5:7. “I Promise You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvIR0o1w0B8 Spiritual Love (1999).

26. Vanessa Bell Armstrong. “Something Inside So Strong” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MMIhphnWTw Wonderful One (1989).

27. Yolanda Adams. “Let Us Worship Him” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ1AacvZvYc Save the World (1993).

Kensedeobong Okosun

Kensedeobong Okosun (M.A Bielefeld University) is a music enthusiast, music researcher, music journalist, vocalist and an author. Her academic article “Sisterhood and Soul Music as expressions of Black Power” is featured in the edited volume, Black Power in Hemispheric Perspective (Raussert & Steinitz, eds, 2022). She has reviewed Dorothea Gail’s Weird American Music (2019). Her articles on Nigerian music have been published on Nigerian news platforms like “Nigerians and their music” (Sun News Online) and “Remembering Victor Uwaifo, “Guitar Boy” and the quest to meet Mami Wata” (The Nigerian Observer).

Kensedeobong’s blog highlights music’s interconnectivity with society and comprises personal music experiences, researched information, concept playlists for multiple themes, etc.

A hard-core 90s R&B fan, she utilises the vehicle of memory, to position long forgotten music of yesteryears on the front-burner.

She is persuaded that music is a core conduit of collective harmony, equanimity, vitality and healing. And as such requires criticality in the filtration process, in order to disseminate meaning. Her blog promotes music equality and diversity.

She resides in Germany.

A 90’s Church Girl’s Gospel Music Playlist

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