Andraé Crouch

Andraé Crouch (1942–2015) was an American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger and pastor widely credited as one of the founding figures of modern gospel music. Raised in Los Angeles in a Pentecostal household, he began writing songs as a teenager and went on to lead the group Andraé Crouch and the Disciples, whose recordings helped bring gospel to a broader popular audience in the 1960s and 1970s.

His songwriting produced enduring standards such as «My Tribute (To God Be the Glory)», «Soon and Very Soon» and «The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power», songs that entered the repertoire of churches and choirs across denominations and were covered by artists as varied as Elvis Presley, Paul Simon and Bob Dylan. Crouch’s style blended traditional black gospel with contemporary soul, R&B and pop arrangements, a fusion that opened the door for the emergence of contemporary Christian music.

Beyond his own recordings, Crouch became a sought-after vocal arranger and choir director for mainstream pop sessions, most notably contributing gospel choir vocals to Michael Jackson’s «Man in the Mirror» and Madonna’s «Like a Prayer». He also worked alongside artists including Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan and Take 6, cementing his reputation as a bridge figure between gospel and secular popular music.