Kurt Carr (born October 12, 1964) is an American gospel music composer and performer. While living in the city of Hartford, Connecticut, he served as Minister of Music at The First Baptist Church of Hartford located at the time on Greenfield Street. He is currently the Praise and Worshipleader at The Fountain Of Praise in Houston, TX.

Contents

• 1 Biography
  • 1.1 Early years
  • 1.2 Music career
    • 1.2.1 Early career
    • 1.2.2 1994-2004: New Label, Success
    • 1.2.3 2005-2019: One Church Project, Just the Beginning, and Bless this House
    • 1.2.4 2019–Present: Bless Somebody Else
• 2 Discography
  • 2.1 Albums
  • 2.2 Compilation albums
  • 2.3 Singles
• 3 References

Biography

Early years

Kurt Carr was born in the mid-1960s in Hartford, Connecticut, where he grew up in a family who believed in Jesus, but was not deeply involved in church. At the age of 13, Kurt found himself being increasingly drawn to the church. In his early teen years, he performed as an actor and dancer at the Hartford Stage Company in a Broadway musical called On the Town, which was directed by Clay Stevenson. He became an active member in his church's music department. At the age of 17, Carr realized that he was being called to do something even higher with his life. After high school, he entered into the music program at the University of Connecticut, where he studied cl*ical music and earned a Fine Arts degree. Carr is a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Music career

Early career

Carr was piano accompanist for Andrae Crouch's music ministry for one year. Carr was subsequently hired to be musical director and pianist for Rev. James Cleveland’s ministry in 1986 and was employed there for seven years, until Cleveland's death. Eventually, Carr became director of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ Choir, where he had the opportunity to work with both gospel and secular musical artists, including Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin during that time Carr also formed a gospel vocal ensemble named The Kurt Carr Singers. They released their first EP in 1988. Years later on Light Records in 1991, The singers debut full-album Together was released. Light Records eventually had problems however, Kurt Carr met Vicki Mack Lataillade in 1992, the founder of GospoCentric Records.

1994-2004: New Label, Success

Now signed onto GospoCentric, the group released their first album on the label *led Serious About It! The album also featured background vocals by the Background Choir called the Choir of Life which features members from West Angeles Church of God in Christ. The album also featured a remake of Salt-N-Pepa's Whatta Man. This led the group to such success throughout the 1990s. Years later in July 1996, the singers recorded No One Else at the West Angeles which was released in March 1997. The live recording featured a lot of celebrities in attendance. The album also features Anastacia, Mary Mary, & Andrea McClurkin-Mellini (sister of Donnie McClurkin) serving as a few of the additional background singers.. The album won awards for the song For Every Mountain. In 2000, Kurt Carr and his group released Awesome Wonder which featured In the Sanctuary which also won awards. The album earned the group commercial success.

2005-2019: One Church Project, Just the Beginning, and Bless this House

Signed onto Zomba Label Group in 2004, Kurt Carr released the One Church Project in 2005 which featured God Blocked It and God Great God, among others. The theme of the album was about being a multicultural church. In 2008, Kurt Carr released his first two disc album Just the Beginning which was released on his self *led label Kurt Carr Gospel and Zomba. The group also grew to seven members. In 2013, Kurt Carr released Bless this House on Verity Gospel Music Group which included the single I've Seen Him Do It, We've Gotta Put Jesus Back, & Great God Great Praise.

2019–Present: Bless Somebody Else

After a six-year hiatus, Kurt Carr released Bless Somebody Else on RCA Records' Gospel Label RCA Inspiration in 2019 in which Kurt Carr Gospel Label from Just the Beginning returned. The single was released the same year as long with the single Blessing After Blessing which is a ballad a year later.

Carr's music is a blend of traditional gospel composition and vocals, with elements of R&B, jazz, soul, blues, and the distinct modern harmonies and singing styles found in urban contemporary gospel. The Kurt Carr Singers under his direction and musical influence have created seven albums. Kurt Carr has won four Stellar Awards.

Discography

Albums

Compilation albums

Singles

References

• Kurt Carr – Interview (March 2005) on BlackGospel.com
• Kurt Carr – Interview (November 2008) on BlackGospel.com