Funeral Service Announced For Gospel Legend Richard Smallwood
The celebration of life for gospel innovator and musician Richard Smallwood has been announced.
According to a post on the late singer’s Facebook page, the service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, at First Baptist Church of Glenarden International in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
The service is set to begin at 12 p.m. with the doors set to open at 9 a.m.
The “Total Praise” musician passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at the Brooke Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Maryland due to complications from kidney failure. His family shared an announcement of his passing on Instagram. He was 77 years old.
A graduate of Howard University, Smallwood established the Richard Smallwood Singers in and released their debut in 1982. He later formed his backing choir, Visions, which has released several albums up until the late 2010s.
A towering figure in gospel, Smallwood’s career spanned over five decades. His innovations and creative pen birthed classics within the genre, including “Total Praise,” “Center of My Joy,” and “I Love The Lord,” which was popularized by a cover sung by Whitney Houston.
In a statement of his passing, his family shared, “We are saddened to announce the passing of world-renowned artist, songwriter, and musician, Richard Smallwood. The family asks that you respect our privacy during this difficult time, while helping to celebrate the legacy he leaves behind and the gifts he unselfishly shared with the world.”
Smallwood is survived by his brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews, and several godchildren.
Funeral Service Announced For Gospel Legend Richard Smallwood was originally published on thelightnc.com
