Esther Smith was born in 1937 and her family endured horrific times in Mississippi before joining the Great Migration north to Chicago. As a teen-ager she joined the promising Lockhart Singers, but soon turned full-time ministry and evangelism, singing only in church.
In 1988, Esther's voice came to the attention of the mighty Winans family - and that very year Marvin, Vicki, Michael and Ronald Winans teamed together to write, produce and perform in her first LP ... at the age 51! ... I Believe in Miracles for the Sound of Gospel label. Its highlight is the title track, penned by the legendary Twinkie Clark, and it's 1980s-styled pop gospel at its finest. And yes, that's Fred Hammond on a couple of tracks.
In 2022, Esther's 85 and back to singing occasionally in church. But she's the matriarch of a family of gospel singers ... and her legacy includes this joyful, spirit-packed four-sided LP that proves, once again, that we all should believe in miracles.
Music: "I Believe in Miracles" by Esther Smith from the I Believe in Miracles LP, Side 4, Track 1
I’m Robert Darden … “Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU, the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project at Baylor University Libraries and is funded by generous support from the Prichard Foundation.