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For over 25 years, she has been one of the most predominant and celebrated voices in Gospel music. She has effectively created a bridge between the sacred tradition and bold innovation of the musical genre. She is an anointed powerhouse vocalist known for her flawless riffs, vocal runs and a seemingly never-ending range that extends far beyond the average soprano into the heavenly realm. She is none other than the incomparable Karen Clark Sheard.

As the youngest member of the legendary Detroit-bred Clark Sisters and daughter of Gospel pioneer, the late Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, Karen is one-fourth of the most popular and defining female Gospel music group of the past three decades. Recording their first album in 1973, Karen and her sisters helped change the course of modern Gospel music with songs like "Endow Me", "Is My Living In Vain", "My Redeemer Liveth" and the classic '80s crossover hit, "You Brought the Sunshine." Karen began singing with the group at the age of seven and stayed with them until 1997 when, with her sisters' blessings, she embarked upon a budding solo career, which birthed her debut release Finally Karen. An instant smash, quickly selling over 300,000 units, Finally Karen earned her four Stellar Awards and a Grammy nomination.

During a brief hiatus, following the release of Finally Karen, Karen triumphantly overcame a near fatal reaction to a routine surgery, an experience she literally describes as God giving her a "second chance." Her powerful testimony of her miraculous recovery formed the foundation for her second album aptly titled Second Chance and spawned studio hits such as the title track and the soul-stirring "So Good." On her third release The Heavens Are Telling, Karen took her newly cultivated contemporary Gospel sound, coupled it with her Church of God in Christ (COGIC) roots and delivered a groundbreaking half live/half studio project ready to get any praise party started right. Karen debuted her now infamous echo live on "You Loved Me", a remake of the Jill Scott hit and a duet with her daughter, stellar EMI Gospel recording artist, Kierra "KiKi" Sheard.

Karen's distinctive vocal acrobatics, powerful and daring runs are often imitated, but never duplicated (except by Karen herself, of course). "She's the Michael Jackson of the Clark Sisters," says Dorinda Clark Cole of her baby sister's stage presence. "We never know what she's going to do." Karen's awe-inspiring vocal abilities continue to influence a plethora of top Gospel and even R&B/mainstream pop recording artists including Beyonce', Kelly Price, Mariah Carey, Faith Evans and Missy Elliott who also has producing credits on both Second Chance and The Heavens Are Telling. "Karen {Clark Sheard} has inspired my vocals in ways I can't even explain," says Faith Evans. "She is anointed. Every time she opens her mouth to sing, the audience can tell that the Lord is all in her!" Karen has also gained major respect and a great following from industry legends such as "the Queen of Soul" herself, Aretha Franklin.

Karen's most recent project It's Not Over is proof that this woman of God has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. The album propels Karen's signature sound into urban praise & worship with tracks such as "Authority", which was co-written by Karen and the first radio single, "Favor," a song that starts with a whisper of what seems to be gentle balladry before gliding into a crescendo of rousing praise to the Lord. Karen does this gracefully, but she does not forget to throwback right to where it all began as she revisits the Clark-fan favorite on an updated version of "Hallelujah."

Karen continues to balance a life of music and ministry in Detroit as the wife of Greater Emmanuel Institutional COGIC's pastor, Reverend J. Drew Sheard. She is also the proud mother of two musically gifted children, the aforementioned Kierra "KiKi" Sheard and John Jr. (J. Drew), an aspiring producer who in fact already has two big-league credits on his résumé, having produced songs on his sister's two projects and a few on Karen's as well. With more achievements, acknowledgement and success to her credit than many people achieve in an entire lifetime, Karen speaks of the future like a woman whose mission and ministry has only just begun. "I looked at the world and I feel like there is a whole side of it that hasn't even been reached," she says. "There are so many millions of people who've never heard the Gospel message. As long as there's even one soul that hasn't heard that message, my work here has not yet been accomplished. And it is work, but it's a calling, and it's a blessing, and it's a job that is never finished."

by Terron Austin