Tag Archives: The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel

Posted on

Kierra Sheard of ‘The Clark Sisters’ Movie Celebrates No. 1 Billboard Album as She Mourns Grandmother’s Death Due to COVID-19

Hello World,

On the heels of the major success of the recent Lifetime TV original movie The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel, Kierra Sheard is celebrating yet another impressive accolade:  Her self-titled album KIERRA (Karew Entertainment / RCA Inspiration) is  #1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Album’s chart, #1 on Billboard’s Top Christian/Gospel albums chart, and #2 on Billboard’s Top 200 Christian & Gospel Consumption chart! Released on April 17th, KIERRA has knocked the longstanding #1 Jesus Is King out of the top position, and has garnered more than 3 million streams in its first week.

The album includes 15-tracks with sounds ranging from Pop, R&B, Hip-Hop, and Gospel, and features some live recorded songs which Kierra performed before a sold out crowd in her hometown of Detroit, MI. Demonstrating her lyricism, Kierra either wrote or co-wrote all of the tracks on the album including the beautiful ballad “Grateful,” the authentic and raw “Human,” and “Better.” Assisted by a dynamic team, KIERRA features production from her frequent collaborators, Harmony “H-Money” Samuels and her brother J. Drew Sheard, as well as songwriters Mia Fieldes, Varren Wade, Edgar “JV” Etienne, Justin Brooks and rising Chicago artist Sir the Baptist. In addition to Missy Elliott and Tasha Cobbs Leonard, the album features vocals from other star Gospel Artists Todd Dulaney,  Le’Andria Johnson and Kierra’s nephew Jacob Sheard.

See Kierra’s jubilant Instagram post below:

However, as you can see, Kierra mentioned that she wishes she could tell her happy news to her Nanna. Her grandmother on her father’s side, Willie Mae Sheard, 84, passed away on April 19 due to COVID-19 complications. (Read an excellent article about her grandmother HERE.) Kierra had revealed on Good Morning America that both of her grandparents were sick with COVID-19 at the beginning of this month. See her touching post about her grandmother below.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Whoa. This hurts. Either I’m crying or I’m sleep (unless I’m around loved ones) hoping I’d see you there. Writing about you, and watching videos of you, has helped me. At first I didn’t understand. However, I begin to walk through the days of when I’d come and see you. I’d always ask, “how do you feel?” Because only a few days out of more, you’d say, “I don’t feel good.” I’d often try and blame it on malpractice. I asked a natural medicine doctor to come and see about you. I tried to find a solution. I find you, in me because you always wanted to have an answer for people you loved. However, I didn’t like how much you’d say “I don’t feel good.” I’ve asked God, “why now?”. But these things have been my answer. You were tired of not feeling well and I was tired of not having an answer to help you. It broke me apart seeing you in such pain. I also remember seeing your adoration for the Lord. I didn’t see you do anything contrary to God’s way of life. You’d put on and be strong for us during family dinners and church events, but I could tell, you didn’t feel good. You were so strong. You often saying, “you can have this/that when I’m gone…” bothered us so much; but you always had a peace when insinuating that there’s another place of interest. As believers, to be absent from the body and present with the Lord is the ultimate goal. This heaven bound understanding walks us through something so painful with such peace. We prayed and prayed and asked God to heal you, but I’m led to believe that you were ready to tap out of this earthen life. I’ve been challenged to not be selfish but to be selfless and accept God allowing your promised rest. So, I’m still trusting God and seeing that He gave you the years promised (Psalm 90:10) and 14 more years of life with us. But if I reflect on the good things, you lived a good life. What makes it hard, is having to grasp the fact that I won’t see you anymore; until we meet again. I’m even more determined to live like Christ so that I can talk to you again. I love you. I find that I act just like you and I’ll forever remember your lessons. Rest well Nanna. No more days of not feeling good. I’ll miss you.

A post shared by Kierra Sheard (@kierrasheard) on

See what Kierra’s mother Karen Clark Sheard, who Kierra portrayed in the movie, posted about her mother-in-law below.

As Kierra said, she is experiencing a bittersweet moment in life…Congratulations to her and her family on her success, and I pray that her and her family will be comforted as they grieve the loss of their precious matriarch.

Any thoughts?

 

Posted on

2.7 Million Total Viewers Watch Lifetime’s ‘The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel!’

Hello World,

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! The Lifetime Original Movie The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel hit a high note on Saturday night, delivering 2.7 million Total Viewers in L+SD, according to Nielsen Media Research, making it Lifetime’s highest-rated movie since 2016 and the strongest original movie on all of television for 2020 across key demos, including both broadcast and cable! Additionally, The Clark Sisters was the best ad-supported cable original movie since 2018 in key demos, with 1.1 million Adults 25-54, 905,000 Adults 18-49 and 813,000 Women 25-54. With the success of The Clark Sisters, Lifetime now claims the top three original movies on ad-supported cable in 2020 in key demos, along with “Stolen By My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story” and “Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer.”

On social media, #TheClarkSisters ranked #1 across all TV on April 11 with over 700,000 interactions, according to Nielsen Social. #TheClarkSisters was the top social Lifetime movie over the last year.

None of these metrics surprise me because I LOVED the movie! In fact, I loved the character of Dr. Mattie Moss Clark so much, I wrote this Facebook post:

Attention “This Is Us” writers room, I want a Dr. Mattie Moss Clark – like character to be friends with older Rebecca. I need her to wear the same glasses and be just as ornery (although hilarious at the same time) as she was in “The Clark Sisters” movie. Also, I want her to be portrayed by Aunjanue Ellis because clearly her acting skills have been underestimated until now…

Below is one of my favorite scenes from the movie:

Did you have a favorite scene? What was it?

Hailing from executive producers Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel recounts the story of the legendary pioneers of contemporary gospel music and their trailblazing mother, Mattie Moss Clark (Aunjanue Ellis). Credited with bringing Gospel music to the mainstream, the five Clark sisters (Christina Bell as “Twinkie,” Kierra Sheard as “Karen,” Raven Goodwin as “Denise,” Sheléa Frazier as “Dorinda,” Angela Birchett as “Jacky”) overcame humble beginnings in Detroit, enduring abuse, loss, rejection, betrayal, and sibling rivalries to achieve international fame as icons of the Gospel music industry.

Grammy-winner, songwriter and gospel record producer and artist Donald Lawrence produced all the re-recorded Clark Sister hits for the movie. Christine Swanson (Chicago P.D.) directed, based on a script written by Sylvia L. Jones and Camille Tucker. In addition to Latifah, Blige, and Elliott, executive producers also include Holly Carter who also executive produces for Relevé Entertainment and Shakim Compere executive produces for Flavor Unit. Loretha Jones also executive produced.

Any thoughts?

Posted on

Kierra Sheard Reveals Grandparents’ COVID-19 Diagnosis, What it Was Like Playing Her Mother in ‘The Clark Sisters’ Movie on Good Morning America

Hello World,

This morning on Good Morning America, gospel music star Kierra Sheard, who was interviewed by Michael Strahan, revealed that her grandparents are recovering from COVID-19, how she had to audition to play her mother Karen Clark Sheard in the the movie The Clark Sisters and more. Check out the interview below, and let’s lift up her grandparents in prayer…


And on Saturday, I will definitely be watching The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel  movie on Lifetime at 8 p.m. EST/ 7 p.m. CT!!! Below is the trailer. Will you be watching?

Any thoughts?