Traveling Shoes
(The Story of Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers)

Created, Produced and Directed
Howard Worth and R. Ray Barnes
Executive Producer
Caryl Portnoy
Co-Executive Producer
Howard Worth and R. Ray Barnes

Traveling Shoes is a Documentary celebrating the legendary Clara Ward Singers, a chronicle of success, controversy, heartbreak and triumph. The audience will be taken on a fascinating journey from poverty-stricken South Carolina, via 1930 to 40s Philadelphia to the bright lights of Las Vegas, Hollywood and the world, and en route, we’ll meet not only Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers, but also some of the greatest entertainers of our time, including Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder.

But, let’s begin at the beginning. Clara was born in Philadelphia in 1924, the daughter of a textbook stage mother, who had left rural South Carolina in order to find work. After struggling through the depression, Gertrude Mae Murphy Ward came upon a vision, which commanded her to begin a singing career utilizing her family. Following her vision, Gertrude, along with her 2 daughters, Clara and Willa, took the stage—the gospel stage and began a journey into gospel history. After an electrifying performance at the 1943 National Baptist Convention, the Ward Singers were one of the top attractions on the church circuit.

As the success of the group grew, more singers were added and with a very definite style of their own, throughout the mid 1940’s and 50’s they were the elite singers of gospel. Using photos and footage, we will show the Clara Ward Singers during that period—not only will we hear their astonishing sound, but see how they rejected the homespun choir robes of the past in favor of dazzling costumes and wigs which grew so tall they actually touched the ceiling. But no matter how high the hair, or how colorful the clothes, the Clara Ward Singers continued to belt out those gospel songs, scoring more hits and making more money than anyone before them.

In Traveling Shoes, we’ll hear from Aretha Franklin, whose father, Reverend C. L. Franklin—a gifted singer and preacher—toured with the group.

But being a famous Queen of Gospel wasn’t enough for Clara Ward. By 1961, she had moved the group out of the House of God and into the Houses of Sin—playing nightclubs and ending up in Las Vegas. The churchgoers were shocked, but the white audiences were intrigued and flocked to the shows. The Clara Ward Singers broke attendance records at Nevada’s New Frontier Hotel, performing 3 shows nightly for 40 consecutive weeks. This was followed by sold out tours around the world. Traveling Shoes will show footage of some of these concerts, and we’ll see performances of some of their most celebrated songs, such as “Surely God Is Able” (which became the first Platinum gospel single ever) and the audience favorite, “Packin’ Up.”

Once the remarkable Clara Ward Singers had taken their music out of churches and into the secular world, there was no stopping them. They were the first women gospel singers to perform in war zones, bringing their heavenly music to the hellish battlefields of Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm, and they broke through the color barrier with command performances at Carnegie Hall and the New York Opera House.

When Clara Ward died in 1973, many thought the legacy would end there, yet Mother Ward continued on with the youthful energy and enthusiasm of a teenaged Madeline ‘Traveling Shoes’ Thompson until she passed away in 1981, at which time, the mantle was passed to Madeline alone to keep that commitment and passion alive.

Today Madeline is still spreading the glories of the Ward Singers’ sound to new generations who come to churches and nightclubs to share the beautiful legacy of those great pioneers of gospel music. She and the group have performed with such greats as James Cleveland, Billy Preston, Nora Jones and a galaxy of other stars.

Traveling Shoes is a magical ride through the history of gospel, accompanied by such singing greats as Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Neil Diamond. Come aboard the gospel train for the trip of a lifetime.

By Jenny Paschall and R. Ray Barnes

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