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Official Website: Dorinda
Clark Cole
She's been called "the Rose of Gospel," "the church girl,"
and "evangelist" but more than anything else, three time Grammy
award winner Dorinda Clark Cole is a fired up sister for Christ
and one of the most gifted vocalists in the music world today.
Carrying on the legacy of her mother, mass choir director
pioneer, the late Mattie Moss Clark, along with her award
winning contemporary gospel pioneering sisters who have influenced
a generation of singers, Dorinda Clark Cole boldly comes forth
with her third solo album, TAKE IT BACK.
Produced by Asaph Ward, and co-written by Dorinda, TAKE IT
BACK is a mix of traditional and contemporary gospel music
interjected with Dorinda's trademark runs, scats and anointed
preaching. The second from the youngest of The Clark Sisters,
Dorinda attributes her fiery, convicting singing style to
her mother, who saw the gift of singing and preaching in her
at an early age. Back in the 1960's and 70's when other children
their age were playing outside, Dorinda and her sisters would
have to work on their now famous familial harmonies. She says,
"We made a lot of sacrifices. My mom was a stickler for making
sure we rehearsed before we went out to perform. If we had
an engagement on a Saturday or Sunday, during the week she
would call us in and say, 'Hey ya'll I need you to come in
here and rehearse.' That's when mom started really putting
the discipline in us. She would say, 'Karen, I want you to
take that microphone and sing this note…and now Dorinda, I
want you to talk a little bit.' When Karen the youngest turned
five we started recording.
She saw the gifts and talents within us and started shaping
and molding us. She taught us discipline along with how to
use our gifts. We still have those gifts today. It was all
in preparation for what we do today as recording artists,
writers and producers."
The gift of talking that Dorinda's mother saw in her as a
little girl has evolved into a phenomenal preaching ministry
that goes hand in hand with her singing ministry. "I can't
get around the both of them; I can't leave the stage without
saying something…and even when I preach, I can't leave without
singing a line of something," she laughs.
Dorinda has been evangelizing and juggling hundreds of speaking
engagements annually for over twenty years, along with her
singing career and being a wife and mother. And to add to
that, she is the new host of TCT Network's Celebrate Music,
co-host of TCT's Celebrate on the Road , and is the current
spokes model for Donna Vinci Clothing.
However, she hasn't always been at such a joyous place in
her life. Dorinda was once a wounded soul who contemplated
suicide who now testifies about that very trying time in her
life. She remembers, "At that time my mother was not with
me to help me get through that rough time. We were always
dependent on our mom because she was always there… I didn't
understand why it was happening to me…It was very devastating.
And it caused me to go into a state of depression…I just couldn't
take it anymore and I got into my car and I began to drive
to the river. I was about to drive my car off the bridge.
And while I was right there…the enemy was speaking to me,
so I actually had a war going on…I began to drive and accelerate
up to 80 miles per hour. God spoke to me just as plain as
day and said, 'Dorinda, are you going to let everything that
has been invested in you go down the drain?' And when I heard
God's voice, I began to take my foot off the accelerator and
the car started coasting right to the bridge. And the Lord
whispered to me and said, 'Peace be unto you.' And that's
when I grabbed the steering wheel and I said, Lord I thank
you. Ibegan to weep and cry. So if it had not been for God
keeping me, right then I would have been doomed and consumed."
Influenced by the preaching style of her mentor and spiritual
mom Pastor Shirley Caesar, Dorinda preaches and sings more
fearlessly today than ever before about overcoming trials
and tribulations, God's goodness and what faith can do. TAKE
IT BACKis no exception.
An excited Dorinda says the nine track TAKE IT BACK is a
healing CD. "It's everything that you're going through or
you will be experiencing. And it'll help bring you through
it, especially the song "Praise Your Way Out." It's actually
a message that I spoke. I was really conveying to the people
how it is important that when you go through a situation,
don't get stuck. Don't even look at the situation. It's just
a temporary set back. Just praise your way through it. If
you can praise your way through it, he'll bring you out of
it. This CD is one that will help any person who is going
through anything…it will let them know that they've got hope.
Don't give up…You're going to make it through it."
She adds, ""Yesterday" and "If I Were" are two of the songs
that are dear to my heart. "Yesterday" is talking about things
that happened yesterday and are no more today….that hurting
situation is over…and I'm still here because of yesterday
and yesterday is no more. So now I work towards my future
and I can go on. When thinking about yesterday, today would
not be, if it had not been for what we went through yesterday.
And when you hear the song you'll see why we titled this CD
Yesterday.
And then I've got a song on here called "Got To Hold On."
It's a very old song but I'm kind of reliving it. "Got To
Hold On," that's one of my songs that I listen to when I'm
going through. I'll turn it on in a minute! It really helps
me to hang on. And my theme song this year is the first single,
"Take It Back." Yes, I'm going to get it back. I'm taking
back everything that the enemy has stolen from me over the
last three years. He tried to take my dreams…my gold…my diamonds.
He tried to take the next generation! He tried to kill my
daughter! I decree I'm going to take it back!"
TAKE IT BACKis also a family affair. It features Dorinda's
nieces Angelyn and recording artist Kierra "Kiki" Sheard,
as well as her daughter, Nikkia, on the mellow and urban contemporary
tune "It's Okay," which encourages you to believe that no
matter what you're going through, God will change things if
you just pray.
Hand clapping, toe tapping stand outs "Got To Hold On," "Praise
Your Way Out," and "No Weapon" takes you straight to church
and makes you want to put your shouting shoes on. The latter
imparts the timeless message that no weapon formed against
a child of God will work, wrapped in a traditional gospel
beat. The lead single, "Take It Back," is also an uptempo,
churchy, mad at the devil, fired up and I'm not taking it
anymore tune. It speaks to anyone who has ever been through
something where health, strength, finances or home may have
been taken away by the enemy.
Slowing things down a bit, Dorinda's calming spirit reaches
out to souls on the mellow, contemporary "Faithful," "Yesterday"
and "If I Were."
She utilizes her famous vocal runs and preaching on the jazz
infused "Faithful," which gives the message that if you are
faithful over a few things God will make you ruler over many,
if you remain faithful through your trials.
The soul stirring ballad "Yesterday," showcases Dorinda's
multi-octave vocal range and will fill you with a calming
message of peace and hope that comes after the storms of life
have passed. It let's you know that although the situation
might seem bad, it will be over tomorrow. "If I Were," the
praise ballad sends a message of gratitude unto the Lord that
will usher in a spirit of praise.
With songs that inspire, encourage and uplift, TAKE IT BACK
is another landmark project from the Clark dynasty. So what
is her hope for this shining release? She simply says, "I
want it to reach avenues that we feel that it cannot to go,
I want people to not give up and know they can get through
it."
I want it to reach those who are strung out on drugs. I want
them to be able to hand it over to other drug abusers and
say listen to it and have it bless their lives."
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