306:, to Thomas and Jacqueline Whitfield. He took to music at a very early age and was inspired by his great-grandmother to take piano lessons at the age of five and would advance to playing the organ by the age of ten. His influences remained some of Detroit's greatest musicians including renowned organist Herbert Pickard and Timothy Beard. After graduating from Detroit's Central High School, he attended the Detroit Conservatory of Music and ended up sharing his expertise and knowledge as a music instructor at Finney High School.
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Thomas
Whitfield Company. Whitfield wrote most of the songs (except for "Soon As I Get Home" and "There's Not A Friend" – written by Roscoe Corner) and produced both projects. Songs like "God Wants Our Praises", "There's Not A Friend", "Walk In The Light", the infectious arrangement of "Oh, How I Love Jesus" and the brilliant ballad "Hallelujah Anyhow" were standouts.
331:) and also released "Hold Me"; a solo project that seemed to be threatening towards SOG's current contract with the Whitfield Company. While "Hold Me" was released on a more recognized label and was by far one of Whitfield's state-of-the-art productions to date, it also help increased the popularity and exposure of "Hallelujah Anyhow" and kept the album on
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After getting local attention with the releases of "Brand New" and "Things That We
Believe, Vol. I" and "Things That We Believe, Vol. II" during the years of 1978–1980, Whitfield recorded his first live recording session (a popular trend in modern gospel music) with the Company at the St. Paul Church
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singer, songwriter, arranger, pianist, choir director and producer best known for helping to shape the fabric of contemporary gospel music with his elaborate choral arrangements and the merging of musical styles ranging from jazz to classical into traditional gospel foundations. This style earned him
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Everything Praise Him" (which features the popular sampled vamp used in a number of recent gospel selections) and the reflective "We
Remember (Medley)". The medley featured some of Whitfield's most treasured classics strung together in one song. By this time, Whitfield had already been contacted by
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The understanding of the agreement with both music labels was that
Whitfield recorded "Hold Me" as a solo entry while SOG was mainly interested in Whitfield being attached to the choir; feeling that his choir was the "selling card". SOG continued to record them as: Min. Thomas Whitfield & the
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Group's black gospel department) contacted
Whitfield and expressed interest in signing him, along with the Whitfield Company to her label. SOG released two successful projects ("The Annual Christmas Services", "...And They Sang A Hymn") in 1990, while Whitfield went into the studio to record "My
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Traditional Gospel Album of the Year – an album that featured musical and choral arrangements from Thomas A. Whitfield. Some of the album's serious highlights include the moving opener of "Walk In The Light" and Aretha Franklin being serenaded by Whitfield's entrancing piano accompaniment on
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In 1977, along with his good friend Tyrone
Hemphill, Whitfield established The Thomas Whitfield Company, a local music ministry featuring some of Detroit's finest singers and musicians. This remarkable institution remained the apparent incubator for most of Whitfield's most popular creations and
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The Thomas
Whitfield Company has continued to perform and record since their founder passed and are ensuring to keep Whitfield's legacy alive. They have recorded "Still", a Top Ten gospel album, and featured new and rare selections from Whitfield, along with music from former Whitfield musician
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released what would be
Whitfield's last recording, "Alive And Satisfied". The album, to so many gospel music historians, felt like a prophecy and a "love letter" to Whitfield's presence in the gospel music industry. The album featured the moving praise-and-worship ballad "Precious Jesus", "Let
481:; a popular local restaurant on Telegraph Road. At the table, he started to clutch his chest and began to gasp for air. After being administered CPR by his dinner companions and arriving at Garden City Hospital, Whitfield died on June 20, 1992, from a heart attack.
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Larry and David
Whitfield, brothers of the "Maestro", decided to organize the Whitfield Group (not to be confused with the Whitfield Company) in January 1994. Since their inception, the music troupe has recorded one project and have opened for artists including
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winning "Sailin" album. Whitfield's popularity and demand continued to escalate – possibly pointing that he may have reached the beginning of his recording zenith. Production on projects from the Soul Children of New Orleans, Keith Pringle, Douglas Miller,
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released a rare VHS "Alive And Satisfied" video of Thomas Whitfield and the Whitfield Company. The video also features an award presentation to Whitfield for his record going gold and also an emotional tribute from
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released a tribute album dedicated to the memory and musical excellence of Thomas Whitfield. It featured new arrangements from Whitfield hits and featured a list of musical guests and musicians including
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operated by music guru Armen Boladian, took notice in Whitfield's fresh sound and approach to gospel music and signed him and the group thereafter; resulting in the debut release of "Brand New" in 1978.
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has also re-released a double-CD of Aretha Franklin's "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism" (1987) in 2003. The album featured four new bonus cuts including a previously unreleased version of
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of God In Christ in Detroit. The album was finally released in 1983. At the same time, Whitfield began his association with Onyx International Records (a black gospel subsidiary of
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confronted him with the task to head the musical direction for her upcoming live recording – a project that the media labeled the sequel to her best-selling and award-winning "
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Whitfield's musical brilliance and influence has left a tremendous impact on today's leading contemporary gospel artists. Musicians such as protégé' Rudolph Stanfield,
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Whitfield began a line of notable achievements in producing for both established and fresh talent. In 1984, Whitfield produced the historic debut project
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There have been a number of artists that have sung Whitfield's praises and have re-recorded his music. Some of the most memorable tributes include:
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by many of his colleagues and supporters. He was best known for organizing one of the popular contemporary gospel choirs of all time, the
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Mark S. Hubbard & the Voices "Lift Those Hands And Bless Him" (featuring Ted & Sheri) ("Blessin' Waitin' On Me)
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On June 20, 1992, after a lengthy choir rehearsal, Whitfield went with four of the choir members to
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Bishop Paul S. Morton "Down At The Cross" and "Nothing But The Blood"("Still Standing")
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During Whitfield's final years with Sound of Gospel, Whitfield discovered Texas native
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Rodney Posey "Dear Jesus" ("Live In Praise & Worship with the Whitfield Company")
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Rudolph Stanfield. The song, "Don't Give Up On Jesus", sung by Daryl Coley and
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Earnest Pugh "Wrapped Up, Tied Up, Tangled Up" ("A Worshipper's Perspective")
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An opportunity of a lifetime was awarded to Whitfield when the Queen of Soul
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would forever be attached to his musical legacy and recording career.
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Dr. Ed Montgomery/ALC "With My Whole Heart" (Total Live Experience")
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nominations. That year, he also wrote "Time To Come Back Home" for
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and Shirley Miller "Just Knowing Jesus" ("My Soul Love Jesus")
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Music and Arts Seminar Mass Choir "Precious Jesus" ("Dallas")
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Sound of Gospel, a local Detroit gospel music subsidiary of
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Thomas Whitfield was honored posthumously with the 1999
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Thomas Whitfield, the eldest of five boys, was born in
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53:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
260:(April 30, 1954 – June 20, 1992) was an American
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469:' "Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration".
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16:For other people named Thomas Whitfield, see
628:Tarralyn Ramsey "Saved" ("Tarralyn Ramsey")
397:" LP. In 1989, Aretha Franklin took home a
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113:Learn how and when to remove this message
744:The Unforgettable Years, Vol. Two (1992)
741:The Unforgettable Years, Vol. One (1992)
335:'s Gospel Music charts for over a year.
610:"We Need A Word From The Lord" ("Home")
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709:Things That We Believe, Vol. II (1980)
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721:The Annual Christmas Services (1988)
640:"Still Say Yes" ("Prince Of Praise")
403:Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female
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747:The Best Of Thomas Whitfield (1999)
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658:Donald Vails featuring
479:Elias Brother's Big Boy
590:Vanessa Bell Armstrong
574:Vanessa Bell Armstrong
509:, J.J. Hairston &
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294:Early years and career
818:Singers from Detroit
685:BMG Heritage Records
558:Stellar Music Awards
191:Southfield, Michigan
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727:My Faith (1990) #30
439:(from the renowned
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580:1999 compilation.
453:Paramount Pictures
437:Karen Clark-Sheard
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776:February 21,
774:. Retrieved
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379:Just As I Am
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186:(1992-06-20)
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45:Please help
40:verification
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803:1992 deaths
798:1954 births
695:Discography
598:Kim Burrell
499:John P. Kee
461:, starring
418:Later years
792:Categories
752:References
644:Byron Cage
638:Byron Cage
578:WOW Gospel
503:Byron Cage
407:Dove Award
401:Award for
367:the Winans
362:Dove Award
153:1954-04-30
138:Birth name
73:newspapers
532:In 1993,
446:In 1992,
412:Ave Maria
384:Billboard
333:Billboard
289:Biography
267:"Maestro"
234:1971–1992
223:keyboards
699:Albums:
560:held in
304:Michigan
174:Michigan
566:Georgia
562:Atlanta
300:Detroit
170:Detroit
87:scholar
485:Legacy
448:Benson
399:GRAMMY
354:GRAMMY
262:gospel
248:Benson
239:Labels
211:Vocals
201:Gospel
197:Genres
176:, U.S.
166:Origin
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219:organ
215:piano
94:JSTOR
80:books
778:2024
596:and
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435:and
246:Onyx
181:Died
147:Born
66:news
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