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Shirley Caesar
Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams (née Caesar; born October 13, 1938), known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American gospel singer. Her career began in 1951, when she signed to Federal Records at the age of 12. Throughout her seven decade career, Caesar has often been referred to as the "First Lady of Gospel Music" and "The Queen of Gospel Music". Her accolades include 12 Grammy Awards (along with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), 15 Dove Awards, and 14 Stellar Awards.
Caesar has released over 40 albums. She has participated in over 16 compilations and three gospel musicals, including Mama I Want to Sing. Her record sells exceed over 2.2 million albums, making her one of the top-selling gospel artists. She has made several notable televised appearances, and performed at the White House for President George H. W. Bush. Caesar also gave a speech on the evolution of gospel music to the US Treasury Department. In 2026, after 75 years of recording, she won her 12th Grammy Award in the Best Gospel Performance/Song category for "Come Jesus Come" with CeCe Winans.
Her honors include the SESAC Lifetime Achievement Award and the Rhapsody & Rhythm Award from the National Museum of African American Music, along with a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. Caesar has also been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Caesar was born in Durham, North Carolina. She is the 10th of 13 children. All of her siblings are now deceased. Her father Jim Caesar was a well known local gospel singer. He died suddenly when Shirley was seven years old. Her mother Hallie Caesar was partially disabled due to a lame leg. Caesar had a special bond with her mother and took care of her until her death in 1986.
Caesar first began singing and performing for family and friends. She began singing as Baby Shirley Caesar all over the Carolinas as invitations poured in. She could only perform on weekends due to being in school during the weekdays. Her professional music career began in 1958 at 19, when she approached Albertina Walker about joining The Caravans, one of the most popular gospel groups at that time. Albertina wanted the vocally talented young Caesar in her group after hearing her sing a solo. Caesar decided to halt her education to join the group.
Caesar recorded and performed with Albertina Walker, Cassietta George, Inez Andrews, Delores Washington, Josephine Howard, Eddie Williams, and James Herndon while in the Caravans. Her biggest hit with the Caravans was the song "Sweeping Through the City" followed by "No Coward Soldier". After 8 years with the Caravans, she decided to leave after being offered a solo recording contract with Hob Records. Her first LP on the Hob label was entitled I'll Go, backed up by the Institutional Radio Choir and includes the classics "Oh Peter, Don't Be Afraid" and "Choose Ye This Day".
Other hits soon followed, with recordings such as "Satan, We're Gonna Tear Your Kingdom Down", "God's Not Dead, He's Yet Alive" and the classic "Don't Drive Your Mama Away". In 1971, she won her first Grammy Award for her recording of "Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man", and in 1975, her recording of the song "No Charge" became an instant hit and her first gold record. Although she had success she wanted to reach larger audiences and felt this wasn't being achieved with Hob Records; she decided not to renew her record contract with them which ended that same year.
To reach more people with her music, Caesar signed with a secular record label called Roadshow Records in 1977 and released the debut album entitled First Lady. The producer of the album titled the album First Lady because Caesar was the first female to ever record on the label. The album contained songs with strong gospel lyrics, but many within the gospel community felt that the music itself was "too worldly," and many gospel DJs refused to play it on their radio station. One song, however, "Faded Rose", later became a Caesar classic. Overall, the album sold poorly, but the "First Lady" title caught on within the gospel industry, and concert announcers, DJs and gospel promoters everywhere started introducing her as "The First Lady of Gospel Music", a title that has been associated with her ever since.
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Shirley Caesar
Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams (née Caesar; born October 13, 1938), known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American gospel singer. Her career began in 1951, when she signed to Federal Records at the age of 12. Throughout her seven decade career, Caesar has often been referred to as the "First Lady of Gospel Music" and "The Queen of Gospel Music". Her accolades include 12 Grammy Awards (along with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), 15 Dove Awards, and 14 Stellar Awards.
Caesar has released over 40 albums. She has participated in over 16 compilations and three gospel musicals, including Mama I Want to Sing. Her record sells exceed over 2.2 million albums, making her one of the top-selling gospel artists. She has made several notable televised appearances, and performed at the White House for President George H. W. Bush. Caesar also gave a speech on the evolution of gospel music to the US Treasury Department. In 2026, after 75 years of recording, she won her 12th Grammy Award in the Best Gospel Performance/Song category for "Come Jesus Come" with CeCe Winans.
Her honors include the SESAC Lifetime Achievement Award and the Rhapsody & Rhythm Award from the National Museum of African American Music, along with a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. Caesar has also been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Caesar was born in Durham, North Carolina. She is the 10th of 13 children. All of her siblings are now deceased. Her father Jim Caesar was a well known local gospel singer. He died suddenly when Shirley was seven years old. Her mother Hallie Caesar was partially disabled due to a lame leg. Caesar had a special bond with her mother and took care of her until her death in 1986.
Caesar first began singing and performing for family and friends. She began singing as Baby Shirley Caesar all over the Carolinas as invitations poured in. She could only perform on weekends due to being in school during the weekdays. Her professional music career began in 1958 at 19, when she approached Albertina Walker about joining The Caravans, one of the most popular gospel groups at that time. Albertina wanted the vocally talented young Caesar in her group after hearing her sing a solo. Caesar decided to halt her education to join the group.
Caesar recorded and performed with Albertina Walker, Cassietta George, Inez Andrews, Delores Washington, Josephine Howard, Eddie Williams, and James Herndon while in the Caravans. Her biggest hit with the Caravans was the song "Sweeping Through the City" followed by "No Coward Soldier". After 8 years with the Caravans, she decided to leave after being offered a solo recording contract with Hob Records. Her first LP on the Hob label was entitled I'll Go, backed up by the Institutional Radio Choir and includes the classics "Oh Peter, Don't Be Afraid" and "Choose Ye This Day".
Other hits soon followed, with recordings such as "Satan, We're Gonna Tear Your Kingdom Down", "God's Not Dead, He's Yet Alive" and the classic "Don't Drive Your Mama Away". In 1971, she won her first Grammy Award for her recording of "Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man", and in 1975, her recording of the song "No Charge" became an instant hit and her first gold record. Although she had success she wanted to reach larger audiences and felt this wasn't being achieved with Hob Records; she decided not to renew her record contract with them which ended that same year.
To reach more people with her music, Caesar signed with a secular record label called Roadshow Records in 1977 and released the debut album entitled First Lady. The producer of the album titled the album First Lady because Caesar was the first female to ever record on the label. The album contained songs with strong gospel lyrics, but many within the gospel community felt that the music itself was "too worldly," and many gospel DJs refused to play it on their radio station. One song, however, "Faded Rose", later became a Caesar classic. Overall, the album sold poorly, but the "First Lady" title caught on within the gospel industry, and concert announcers, DJs and gospel promoters everywhere started introducing her as "The First Lady of Gospel Music", a title that has been associated with her ever since.