Richard Smallwood Celebrates 75th Birthday with Concert Featuring Gospel Legends

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misspelled the names of Robert Person and Jared Sawyers.

Generations of gospel icons offered an unforgettable musical tribute to legendary artist Richard Smallwood for his 75th birthday at First Baptist Church of Highland Park Thursday night.

It was fitting that the Howard University Gospel Choir kicked off the program because decades ago Smallwood was one of the founders of the group that launched so many careers and ushered in generations of singers. 

WHUR Radio announcer Jacquie Gales Webb and gospel singer and preacher Jerome Bell went much further than hosting the program. The duo, historians of the classical gospel genre, saturated the event with elegance and style.

“Praise the Lord and happy birthday Richard Smallwood,” said Gales Webb, who talked about how the artist changed the gospel genre. She explained that before Smallwood, so many gospel groups were relegated to the choir loft, in robes and with album covers where they stood on a hill looking toward Heaven.

Then came Smallwood. Whether it was the Smallwood Singers or his group Vision, the singer and musical director became one of the most popular artists “on the planet,” Gales Webb said.

The night was truly dedicated to Smallwood, as artists such as Phillip Carter, Robert Person, Mike McCoy and Patrick Lundy sang his tunes and the Ministers of Music, Sean Tillery, Jimmy Russell and Damian Sneed unleashed a storm of songs for the crowd to enjoy.

The Rev. Dr. Cheryl J. Sanders, of Howard University School of Divinity and senior pastor of Third Street Church of God, read a proclamation from the prestigious institution.

“A Diamond is treasured for its many facets,” the statement read. “The many facets of your life in ministry…your spoken and written eloquence…your ear for the melodies and harmonies and hymns to transport audiences, your studies at Howard University sharpened your artistic proficiency and your logical precision of your entire body of work.”

Presidential advisor the Rev. Dr. George E. Holmes read a statement from President Joe Biden and presented Smallwood with a gold medal. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a proclamation designating Dec. 1 as Richard Smallwood Day. 

During a video presentation, many national artists sang “Happy Birthday” to Smallwood, including Faith Evans, John P. Kee, Tramaine Hawkins and Dottie Jones.

Recording artist Angela Winbush and many former members of Smallwood’s group were in the audience and Gospel music legend Twinky Clark played a riveting musical tribute to Smallwood.

“It was a blessing for us to show Richard how much he is appreciated in the DMV and how his music has ministered to many of us,” Gales Webb told The Informer. “This event was a love experience.”

With a small budget, Jared Sawyers planned and produced the free event. As he was leaving, WHUR host Winston Chaney said: “This was a classily planned event.”

Joyce Garrett, minister of Music at Alfred Street Baptist Church, said she has “been in awe of [Smallwood’s] talents since the 1970s when the Howard University Gospel Choir recorded its first album.”

Garrett talked about Smallwood’s deep roots in the District because his father was the visionary behind and first pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church. “As soon as  Richard Smallwood recorded a new song, I would teach it to my students at Eastern High School.”

The concert concluded with all of the groups and audience singing Smallwood’s famous “Total Praise,” which has become an anthem in many churches across the country.

Before that selection, Smallwood sat in front of the stage and said that people from the Washington, D.C., area have been his most devoted supporters.

“Thank you, thank you,” he said. “This has been one of the most amazing moments in my life.”