When Gospel fans watched The Clark Sisters on Lifetime this year, they not only heard some of their favorite gospel tunes like the 1981 hit, “You Brought the Sunshine”, they’ll finally saw the full story behind the legendary group. There’s so much more to see about the sister’s lives besides singing, including unplanned pregnancy, attempted suicide and abusive relationships. Fans were shocked and treated to powerful performances by Aunjanue Ellis, who plays the late Mattie Moss Clark, the legendary choir director who created The Clark Sisters. Also, other great performances were made by Jacky Clark Chisholm (Angela Birchett), Denise “Niecy” Clark Bradford (Raven Goodwin), Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark (Christina Bell) and Dorinda Clark-Cole (Sheléa Frazier).
As the daughter of a pioneering gospel music icon, Karen Clark Sheard was birthed into a musical legacy of greatness and began making hits with her four sisters when she was just barely a teen. Now with nearly 20 years of success as a solo artist, the 4-time Grammy winner looks back in amazement. Destined to Win, one of her most successful solo albums, seemed like an obvious choice of title for a woman with music literally etched into her DNA and accolades upon accolades, but claiming her birthright as a winner has not come without its challenges.
“God is not surprised by what challenges we have,” the now 60-year-old Clark Sheard shared in an interview with BlackDoctor.org. “That’s what motivates me to keep believing and press forward. Press through the fight.” Right before recording her 2002 album Second Chance, Clark Sheard had a serious encounter with her health – a blood clot in her lungs and another in her leg.
Other complications followed and she was in a coma for about three and half weeks, with the doctors only giving her two percent chance to live. When she