Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers
By R. Ray Barnes © 2007

Clara Ward was a music prodigy who rose from very humble beginnings to tour the world challenging the traditions of mainstream gospel music every step of the way until she eventually marched her way into the hallowed annals of gospel music as one of the greatest soloists to ever stand before a packed congregation of believers or a nightclub full of party goers.

Clara along with the creative promotion and marketing genius of her mother, Gertrude Mae Murphy Ward (1901-1981), propelled gospel out of the church and into the nightclub, where glitzy costumes and pop-style performances gave the music glamour and commercial appeal never seen before in the gospel arena. Over the years, Gertrude Ward created a booking agency for gospel acts, sponsored tours under the name "The Ward Gospel Cavalcade," established a publishing house for gospel music, and even wrote a book for churches on how to promote gospel programs. She invented what many refer to today as a “gospel music ministry.” Though many of today’s top gospel artists consider themselves ministering the gospel through music and marvel at the idea of having “crossover” fans, have no idea that Clara; her sister, Willa Ward and her gifted mother Gertrude was spreading the “good news” of Christ via music to every type of audience who would listen since 1929 when at the tender age of five Clara sang her first solo.

If you’ve never heard of the Clara Wards Singers, let me give you an idea of how their music has impacted the world and of what others have said about them: “World’s Best Singers of Gospel,” Pittsburgh Courier;“Best Singers of the Twentieth Century,” US Representative Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.; “…Touched the lives of millions through the spreading of the True Word and the Good News,” Gospel Music Hall of Fame; and “…the Ward Singers have inspired countless thousands of people in this country, Europe, the Holy Land, and the Orient,” remarked the Philadelphia City Council.

According to Willa Ward, in her book, How I Got Over—Clara Ward and The World-Famous Ward Singers, she stated, “With Clara as the lead singer and arranger, the Famous Ward Singers not only defined the Gospel sound but set about establishing the demeanor of the female group in performance,” and, “After a six week performance with Jack Benny on Broadway, the New York newspapers reported, “Fabulous,” said the New York Daily News; “Splendid,” wrote Walter Kerr in the New York Herald-Tribune. The New York Times called the Clara Ward Singers, “Magnificent” and their music, “Hauntingly blue and bouncingly joyous.” She further remarked that, “Television hosts everywhere wanted Clara to appear on their shows. And when news people asked some of the greats to put what they thought of the Clara Ward Singers into a few words, here is what these performers said:

Ed Sullivan: “This you have to hear.”
Jack Benny: “I put my violin away and just listened.”
George Burns: “Just great.”
Dinah Shore: “Love them.”
Carol Channing: “My favorite group.”
Joey Bishop: “They are the most.”
Dean Martin: “The very best—anywhere.”

The Ward Singers have made numerous appearances on major television shows, such as the Tonight Show featuring Johnny Carson, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Flip Wilson Show, The Danny Thomas Show, The Steve Allen Show, The Mike Douglas Show, The Della Reese Show to just name a few. They also recorded the first million-seller hit by a Gospel group, Surely God Is Able, received many honors, have been given countless tributes, had scores of awards bestowed upon them, not the least of which was a commemorative Clara Ward United States Postal Stamp. In 1998, Clara Ward was honored as one of only four African-American female gospel singers to be issued an official government stamp for her outstanding contribution to gospel music as a world renowned arranger, composer, pianist, singer and group leader.

Clara, along with these exceptionally gifted women who comprised her group performed on some of the world’s most celebrated stages from Carnegie Hall, New York City to the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia.

From poverty to fame, Clara Ward and the Clara Ward Singers are indeed a true American success story—genuine icons and through their legacy illustrates America’s love of gospel music and how the message in their music have touched the hearts and souls of all races, creeds and cultures throughout the world.

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Madeline Thompson and The Clara Ward Singers

The legacy of Clara Ward, the Clara Ward Singers, her mother Gertrude Ward and sister, Willa Ward has been carried on for the past twenty years by a wonderful, tenacious and magnificent talent, Madeline Thompson. Madeline was specially selected by Mother Ward and Clara at the developing age of 17 to be a member of the Famous Ward Singers and before her passing Mother Ward graciously passed the mantel to Madeline. Since that time, she has struggled along with the blessings and spiritual support of Willa Ward to keep the light shining bright that the Ward family brought to the world of gospel music. With many changes in the group’s personnel, along with the difficult task of trying to maintain the high level of excellence, style and class that was exhibited by the Wards, Madeline has vowed to never allow the flame of the Legendary Clara Ward Singers to be extinguished until every soul has felt the heat and warmth and has been touched by the greatness that Clara Ward and her family has given the world through the lyrical messages in their songs, as well as the spiritual grace that lived within every note of their voices as they so elegantly sang their musical praises to God.