Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments - Kitty Parham

Catherine “Kitty” Parham was singing solos in her father’s church in Philadelphia by age of 8 and in 1952 was invited to join the Clara Ward Singers – which enabled her to sing on two of their greatest hits, “Packing Up” and “Surely God is Able.”

From there, Parham enjoyed a long and successful career, singing with a variety of artists – including a stint on what is perhaps the greatest gospel Broadway musical of all time, “Black Nativity.”

Before she died in 2004 at the age of 78, Kitty Parham had sung for popes, presidents, kings and queens, received Grammy awards, and become a gospel legend. This is Kitty singing live with the COGIC International Youth Congress on Roberta Martin’s classic, “I’m Grateful.”

MUSIC: Kitty Parham, “I’m Grateful,” 45 (February 17, 2024)

I’m Robert Darden … “Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU and the Black Gospel Music Preservation Program at Baylor University Libraries.

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