Richard Smallwood, Grammy-nominated gospel singer, songwriter, and composer who bridged classical music and modern worship and influenced artists from Whitney Houston to Destiny’s Child, has died at 77.
Smallwood died Tuesday, Dec. 30, of kidney failure at a nursing home in Sandy Spring, Maryland, his representative said. His family confirmed his death in a statement on his official Facebook page.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of world-renowned artist, songwriter, and musician, Richard Smallwood,” the statement said. “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.”
Over a career spanning more than five decades, Smallwood became one of the most influential figures in contemporary gospel music, known for compositions that blended classical structure, choral tradition, and deeply personal expressions of faith. His songs became staples in churches across denominations and found new life through high-profile covers in mainstream music and film.
His best-known works include “I Love the Lord,” recorded by Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir for The Preacher’s Wife. Boyz II Men sampled it in Evolution. “Total Praise,” performed later by Destiny’s Child in a gospel medley, introduced his music to a new generation.
Smallwood was born Nov. 30, 1948, in Atlanta and raised in Washington, D.C., where music and faith were central to his upbringing. His stepfather served as pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church, and Smallwood showed prodigious musical talent early in life, playing piano by ear by age 5 and forming his first gospel group at 11.
He attended high school in Washington, where Roberta Flack was one of his teachers. Smallwood graduated cum laude from Howard University, joining the school’s first gospel ensemble, the Celestials. Afterwards, he taught music at the University of Maryland and built his reputation as a composer and arranger.
In 1977, Smallwood founded the Richard Smallwood Singers, a group crucial to modern gospel. With vocalists like Dottie Jones, Jackie Ruffin, and Darlene Simmons, they earned Grammy nominations and topped Billboard’s Spiritual albums chart with Psalms in 1984, establishing Smallwood as a creative leader.
Reflecting on his experiences in the music industry, Smallwood was candid about the challenges he faced. “I’ve been with every major gospel label that there is,” he once said, according to a press release announcing his death. “I’ve been able to compare different labels and the way that things are done, the support or lack of. … That’s a frustrating feeling because you have a lot of ideas and concepts that you’d like to see. I’ve been there.”
In the 1990s, Smallwood disbanded the Richard Smallwood Singers and formed a large backing choir, Vision. With Vision, he released “Total Praise,” which became his most commercially successful and enduring composition, widely performed at worship services, concerts and memorials around the world.
Smallwood released his final album, Anthology, in 2015. Four years later, he published a memoir reflecting on his life and music. His eight Grammy nominations, three Dove Awards, and multiple Stellar Gospel Music Awards underscored his lasting impact.
In recent years, Smallwood was diagnosed with mild dementia and faced other health issues, which stopped him from recording. His music continued to resonate with choirs and congregations worldwide, expressing praise and perseverance.
Smallwood is survived by brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and godchildren. Though his voice is silent, his disciplined, deeply spiritual music remains a cornerstone of modern gospel history.
