Donald Lawrence

Donald Lawrence (born May 4, 1961, Gastonia, North Carolina) is an American gospel music songwriter, record producer, composer, singer, and music arranger. He is best known for the songs he had created, in which had been known for their the blend of several genres and genre-influences. In the 2000s, his Grammy Award-nominated songs "The Blessing of Abraham" and "Encourage Yourself," became few of the most known "staples." He owns the record label, QuietWater Entertainment.

He studied at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in music. He has received multiple Grammy and Stellar Award honors and served as vocal coach to the R&B group En Vogue, the musical director for Stephanie Mills, songwriter for The Clark Sisters, and collaborator with a host of artists including Peabo Bryson, Kirk Franklin, Karen Clark Sheard, Donnie McClurkin, and Mary J. Blige.

Career Donald Lawrence began working with several gospel and non-gospel mainstream figures and musicians, during the mid and late 1980s. He eventually became the producer and music director for Stephanie Mills, which was prominent during the late 1980s. He took on The Tri-City Singers after a friend vacated his position as musical director. It was in this capacity, when Donald Lawrence decided to record music of his own compositions, songwriting, arranging, and singing, in which he sought in recording the debut album for the Tri-City Singers in 1991, before the debut was sold in early 1993. The three cities that The Tri-City Singers had resided in, were of Spartanburg, SC, Gastonia, NC, and Charlotte, NC. The debut record A Songwriter's Point Of View on a then-brand-new independent record label called GospoCentric Records. The set debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Gospel Charts. It was the first to be billed as Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers and featured black church-ubiquitous hits such as "A Message For The Saints", "I Am God" and "Stranger". The album was released on Lawrence's newly minted label Crystal Rose Records which was distributed through Sparrow Records.

In 1997, Donald Lawrence produced the live portion of Karen Clark Sheard's Grammy-nominated Finally Karen debut. Lawrence & Tri-City also released the seasonal Hello Christmas the same year. Later, Lawrence signed a contract with the Island Records imprint Island Inspirational. Though a live recording did take place for release, When tri-city4.com was finally released in late summer 2000, the set peaked at #2 on Billboard's Top Gospel Charts and #13 on Billboard's Heatseekers Charts. The album also got a profile boost from the all-star standout "God's Favor", featuring vocal turns from Karen Clark Sheard, Kim Burrell, and Kelly Price.

Lawrence waited almost two years before delivering the follow-up Go Get Your Life Back in early 2002. "The Best Is Yet to Come", a song sonically much in the vein of the previous smash "Testify," was chosen as the album's lead single. This release featured guest appearances from Ann Nesby (formerly of Sounds of Blackness) and gospel pioneer Bishop Walter Hawkins. The momentum continued with the 2003 release of Restoring The Years, a greatest hits album featuring two new songs.

The next album would mark a fresh start for Donald Lawrence. I Speak Life was his first solo album, the debut for his newly inked recording contract with Verity Records, and also the first release under his new sublabel Quiet Water Entertainment. Though the album was without The Tri-City Singers, guest appearances were plenteous. Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker, Faith Evans, Richard Smallwood, and Carl Thomas all contributed to the album. Even jazz notables Ramsey Lewis and Lalah Hathaway were on hand for a remake of the Bible Stories classic "Don't Forget To Remember". The effort earned Lawrence a total of 7 Stellar Award nominations, and 6 wins.

In March 2006, The Tri-City Singers announced that they would retire, but not before one last live recording. Finale: Act One and Finale: Act Two were released simultaneously on April 4, 2006. Each release was a CD/DVD set that chronicled the audio and video of one half of the concert, with packages that locked into one another respectively. A special edition of Finale was later released with both CDs and DVDs. The blowout concert included guest appearances from Bishop Walter Hawkins, Karen Clark Sheard, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Daryl Coley, LaShun Pace, Darwin Hobbs, and many other gospel luminaries. The album's lead single "The Blessing Of Abraham" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance in December 2006. His sophomore solo album, The Law of Confession Part I was released in February 2009. Soon after, Donald said in an interview that The Law of Confession, Part II would be released soon, but that he was focusing on other projects.

Donald Lawrence was featured on the title track "Released" by Bill Winston presents Living Word". He was also the host of Verizon's "How Sweet The Sound Choir Competition".

Discography Albums

Released: March 9, 1993 Year Nominated work AwardResult 2001 Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year Tri-city4.com 2003 Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "The Best Is Yet To Come" 2008 Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year Live - One Last Time 2019 Traditional Gospel Album of the Year Goshen Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "Deliver Me (This is My Exodus)" (with Le'andria Johnson) 2020 Song of the Year "Deliver Me (This is My Exodus)"

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Lawrence has won 1 award from 16 nominations. Year Nominated work AwardResult 1996 Best Gospel Album By A Choir Or Chorus Bible Stories 2001 Best Gospel Choir Or Chorus Album Tri-city4.com 2003 Go Get Your Life Back 2006 I Speak Life 2007 Best Traditional Gospel Album Finalé Act One Best Gospel Song "The Blessing of Abraham" Best Gospel Performance 2008 Best Traditional Gospel Album Live - One Last Time The Grand Finale: Encourage Yourself Best Gospel Song "Encourage Yourself" 2010 Best Traditional Gospel Album The Law of Confession, Part I 2012 Best Gospel Song "Spiritual" (with Blanche McAllister-Dykes) 2013 "Released" (with Bill Winston and Living Word) 2014 Best Gospel Album Best for Last: 20 Year Celebration Vol. 1 (Live) 2015 Best Gospel Performance/Song "Sunday A.M. (Live)" (with Rudy Currence) 2020 Best Gospel Album Goshen 2025 Best Gospel Performance/Song "Church Doors" (with Sir William James Baptist)

NAACP Image Awards

The NAACP Image Awards are awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Lawrence has been nominated 3 times. Year Nominated work AwardResult 2014 Outstanding Gospel Album - (Traditional or Contemporary) 20 Year Celebration Volume 1 - Best For Last 2021 Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album The First Ladies of Gospel: The Clark Sisters Biopic Soundtrack Outstanding Producer of the Year Himself

Stellar Awards The Stellar Awards are awarded annually by SAGMA. Lawrence has received 10 awards from 28 nominations. Year Nominated work AwardResult 2007 Artist of the Year Donald Lawrence presents The Tri-City Singers; Finale: Act One Choir of the Year Contemporary Choir of the Year Contemporary CD of the Year Music Video of the Year Producer of the Year Special Event CD of the Year CD of the Year 2008 Producer of the Year Live - One Last Time 2009 Donald Lawrence Introduces The Murrills Family Prayer Recorded Music Package of the Year 2010 Producer of the Year The Law of Confession Part 1 Recorded Music Package of the Year Artist of the Year CD of the Year Contemporary CD of the Year Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year Group Duo of the Year Song of the Year "Back II Eden" Urban/Inspirational Single/Performance of the Year "Let the Word Do the Work" 2011 Producer of the Year The Experience 2013 Artist of the Year YRM (Your Righteous Mind) Contemporary CD of the Year Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year Group/Duo of the Year Producer of the Year 2014 Song of the Year "Your Best Days Yet" 2026 Producer of the Year Global Love Alive (London) (with Cedric Thompson)