Smallwood died in Maryland from complications related to kidney failure, a representative confirmed.
WASHINGTON — Richard Smallwood, the Grammy-nominated gospel singer, songwriter and pianist whose music became a cornerstone of modern gospel, has died. He was 77.
A representative for Smallwood confirmed to multiple outlets that he died Tuesday of complications from kidney failure at the Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Maryland.
Over a career spanning more than four decades, Smallwood established himself as one of gospel music’s most influential figures, earning eight Grammy nominations and winning multiple Dove and Stellar Awards. His music was later embraced by mainstream artists including Whitney Houston and Destiny’s Child.
As the leader of the Richard Smallwood Singers and later the choir Vision, he recorded enduring songs such as “Total Praise,” “Trust Me” and “I’ll Trust You.”
His compositions reached audiences well beyond church walls. Houston recorded Smallwood’s “I Love the Lord” for the soundtrack to the 1996 film “The Preacher’s Wife,” and Destiny’s Child covered “Total Praise” in a 2007 a cappella track, “Gospel Medley.”
“Total Praise” itself has appeared in settings ranging from funeral services to interfaith choral performances, including a Hebrew-language rendition by a New Jersey choir at a Jewish choral festival.
Smallwood was born in November 1948 in Atlanta and raised in Washington, D.C., by his mother and stepfather. He began playing piano at age 5 and formed his own gospel group by 11. He later attended Howard University, where he earned a degree in music and became a member of the school’s first gospel ensemble, the Celestials.
In 1977, he founded the Richard Smallwood Singers and signed with Onyx Records in 1982. The group’s self-titled debut album spent 87 weeks on the Billboard Spiritual Album Sales chart. Their 1984 follow-up, “Psalms,” earned Smallwood his first Grammy nomination and launched a streak of critical acclaim that continued for decades.
He disbanded the Richard Smallwood Singers in the early 1990s and formed Vision, which backed him on several albums through 2015. The Vision recording “Trust Me” reached No. 9 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart and earned Smallwood his final Grammy nomination in 2012 for best gospel song.
As a songwriter, Smallwood blended deep religious conviction with diverse musical influences, drawing from traditional church music, the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and the Motown soul that shaped his youth. Despite his crossover appeal, he consistently rejected the idea that his work was entertainment-first.
“This is not about making money,” he told The Washington Post in 2015. “It’s about winning souls and encouraging people through Christ. He takes care of it all.”
In 2019, Smallwood published his autobiography, “Total Praise,” chronicling his family history and spiritual journey. In his later years, he battled mild dementia and other health issues that prevented him from recording new music.
