Remembering Richard Smallwood: Celebrated Gospel Singer and Songwriter Passes Away at 77

Richard Smallwood at an event in Los Angeles in 2014.
Credit :

Jason Kempin/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Richard Smallwood died on Dec. 30 at age 77 due to complications from kidney failure.
• He was a Grammy-nominated gospel singer and songwriter.
• The family called for fans to celebrate “the legacy he leaves behind and the gifts he unselfishly shared with the world.”

Richard Smallwood, a renowned gospel singer and songwriter, passed away on December 30 at the age of 77. His music has been covered by celebrated artists including Whitney Houston and Destiny’s Child.

According to a representative, Smallwood died of complications from kidney failure in a nursing home located in Sandy Spring, Maryland.

A statement shared on his Facebook page expressed the family’s sorrow: “We are saddened to announce the passing of world-renowned artist, songwriter, and musician, Richard Smallwood.” The family also requested privacy during this difficult time while urging fans to commemorate his impactful legacy.

Throughout his 50-year career, Smallwood gained recognition for his work as a composer and performer. Notably, Houston recorded his song “I Love the Lord” with the Georgia Mass Choir for the 1996 film *The Preacher’s Wife*, and Boyz II Men featured the song on their 1997 album *Evolution*.

Richard Smallwood performing in Los Angeles in 2014.

Jason Kempin/Getty

Destiny’s Child also honored Smallwood’s influence by covering his song “Total Praise” in a gospel medley in 2007.

Born on November 30, 1948, in Atlanta and raised in Washington, D.C., Smallwood showed musical aptitude from a young age, playing piano by ear at five and forming his own gospel group by eleven. He was taught by Roberta Flack during high school and graduated cum laude from Howard University. He later taught music at the University of Maryland before founding the Richard Smallwood Singers in 1977.

The group, featuring vocalists such as Dottie Jones, Jackie Ruffin, and Darlene Simmons, received a Grammy nomination and topped the Billboard Spiritual Albums chart with their album *Psalms* in 1984.

Richard Smallwood at an event in Nashville in 2014.

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Reflecting on his career, Smallwood once noted, “I’ve been with every major gospel label that there is… I’ve been able to compare different labels and the way that things are done… The label just did not give me the support, and that’s a frustrating feeling because you have a lot of ideas and concepts that you’d like to see.”

In the 1990s, he disbanded the Smallwood Singers and formed a new choir, Vision, with whom he released “Total Praise,” his most significant hit. His last album, *Anthology*, was released in 2015, followed by a memoir in 2019. Over his illustrious career, Smallwood received eight Grammy nominations, three Dove Awards, and numerous Stellar Gospel Music Awards.

In recent years, Smallwood faced health challenges, including mild dementia, which hindered his ability to record new music. He is survived by his siblings, nieces, nephews, and godchildren.