Kirk Dewayne Franklin, an American composer, choir conductor, gospel singer, and rapper was born on January 26, 1970. His most prominent leadership roles are those of The Family, God’s Estate, and One Nation Crew (1NC), among many other urban contemporary gospel groups. Among the many honours he has received are 19 Grammy Awards. Variety labelled Franklin a “Reigning King of Urban Gospel” and was among the first to participate in the Black Music & Media Walk of Fame.
Kirk Dewayne Franklin Early life
Franklin is a native of Fort Worth, Texas, and was raised by his aunt Gertrude after his mother abandoned him as a toddler.
Gertrude collected money by recycling aluminium cans so Kirk could start taking piano lessons at four. Kirk was exceptional at both playing by ear and reading and writing music.
Franklin’s aunt declined his first contract when he was seven years old. At the age of 11, he did join the church choir and was appointed music director of the adult chorus at Mount Rose Baptist Church.
To keep Franklin out of trouble when he was a teenager and rebel despite his strict religious upbringing, his grandmother set up a talent show for him at a professional youth academy connected to a nearby university. After being admitted, he had to cope with a pregnant girlfriend and getting expelled from school due to misbehaviour.
Kirk Dewayne Franklin Career
Franklin established “The Family,” a 17-voice choir composed of neighbours and friends, in 1992. Vicki Mack-Lataillade, a co-founder of the budding GospoCentric Records label, first heard one of Kirk & The Family’s demo recordings in 1992 and was so taken by them that she quickly signed them to a recording deal.
Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir covered the song “Joy” by Aretha Franklin in 1996. The song, which Houston and Mervyn Warren produced, was featured on the music to The Preacher’s Wife, the best-selling gospel record of all time.
At the 25th International Stellar Award ceremony filming in Nashville, Tennessee, on January 16, 2010, Kirk Franklin & The Family temporarily reunited to play songs they had made famous in the 1990s.
The Hidden Place album by Tori Kelly, available to the public on September 14, 2018, included work by Franklin. They would work together on a single song, but it grew into something bigger.
It came into action in February 2019 that Sunday Best, a BET reality singing competition including gospel music, will return after a four-year absence. Franklin will repeat his position as host.
He was one of the people who got entry into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2021.
Franklin and American artist Lil Baby put out the track “We Win” on May 21, 2021, as part of the soundtrack for the movie Space Jam: A New Legacy. In 2013, Franklin and RCA Records formed their recording label, Fo Yo Soul Recordings. During his career, he has published 13 albums, all of which have achieved gold- or platinum-level certification (500,000 copies sold) (1 million copies sold).
Among his many honours are 16 Grammy Awards, a Soul Train Award, 23 Dove Awards, 23 Stellar Awards, and an American Music Award. The Black Music and Television Walk of Fame, available in January 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia, has Franklin as an initial entrant.
Kirk Dewayne Franklin Married life
Franklin wed his longtime friend Tammy Collins on January 20, 1996. They both had a child from a prior relationship before they got married. They are parents of two children as a couple.
Franklin’s eldest son, Kerrion, made a profanity-filled audio tape of his private chat with his father in March 2021 and made it public. Franklin afterwards expressed regret to his supporters and admirers.
Awards
Many honours, including Golden Globes, GMA Jubilee Awards, BET Awards, Soul Express Music Awards, and Stellar Awards, have been bestowed on Franklin.
He won 22 Dove Awards and 19 Grammys.
Kirk Dewayne Franklin Net Worth
One of the most well-known and successful gospel musicians is Kirk Franklin. Also, he is among the most prominent. Kirk Franklin’s net worth is said to be around $8.5 million, according to Reports, Forbes, and Business Daily.
His grandma gathered aluminium cans so that he may have the chance to attend piano lessons. He got to sign his first recording contract when he was just seven years old.
Franklin founded “The Family” in 1992, a seventeen-voice choir of local friends, neighbours, and supporters. Vicki Mack-Lataillade, one of the co-founders of GospoCentric, was so taken with Kirk & The Family after hearing one of their demo recordings in 1992 that she instantly signed them to a recording deal.
Kirk Franklin & The Family is presently the sole moniker used to refer to the group’s first album, which was released in 1993 and was given that title at the time of its release. It spent over two years at the top of the Gospel music charts and peaked at the top of the R&B music albums and charts, earning a platinum rating for its sales. It spent 42 weeks at the peak of the Billboard Top Gospel Albums list. The CD became the first in gospel music history to sell one million copies.
