Andraé Crouch

Birth Name:

Andraé Edward Crouch

Birth Place:

San Francisco, California, United States

Profession

Soundtrack, Actor, Music department

Was awarded the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' Salute to Gospel Music Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005
Often referred to as the "father of modern gospel" for his early inclusion of popular music styles in the genre in the '70s and '80s
Was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2007
Began composing songs at the age of 14 and formed his first musical group, COGICS, while in high school
Began performing with the group Andraé Crouch and the Disciples in the mid-1960s, with the release of their first album, "Take the Message Everywhere," coming in 1971
Quote: "[on overcoming shyness and stammering through music] "I started singing what I had to say․ People became music to me because everything they said was a song․""
Quote: "[on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame] "Anybody who passes that [will] say, 'Who's Andraé Crouch?' They say, 'Well, he sang about Jesus Christ․' That's the part that I'm grateful about․""
Best known as a gospel singer, songwriter and record producer who has worked on "The Color Purple," "Amen" and "The Lion King․"
Served as the pastor of the New Christ Memorial Church in San Fernando, Calif․, with his twin sister, Sandra
Has twice appeared on "Saturday Night Live," first with the Disciples in 1980 and later as a solo performer

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