Reverend James Cleveland was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 5, 1932. Known as the “King of Gospel Music,” he first sang gospel under the mentorship of Thomas A. Dorsey, the father of gospel music, at Pilgrim Baptist Church. Cleveland would go on to revolutionize gospel music with his rich baritone voice, choral arrangements, and blending of traditional gospel with modern soul and pop influences. He later founded the Gospel Music Workshop of America, which became a key institution for gospel artists nationwide.
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