Karen Clark Sheard

Karen Valencia Clark Sheard (née Clark; born November 15, 1960) is an American gospel singer and songwriter. Clark-Sheard is the youngest member of gospel group the Clark Sisters, which was formed in 1973. She is also the mother of contemporary gospel singer and actress Kierra "Kiki" Sheard, with whom she frequently collaborates. She has released five solo albums and 17 with the Clark Sisters. During the hiatus of the Clark Sisters, Clark-Sheard recorded her debut studio album Finally Karen (1997), which spawned the single, "Balm in Gilead" (a re-recording of a song she originally recorded as part of the Clark Sisters in the 1980s for their Heart & Soul album) the R&B-tinged singles "Just for Me" and "Nothing Without You" (with Faith Evans). Finally Karen was among the highest-selling gospel albums of that year, and earned Clark-Sheard a Grammy Award nomination and a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for "Best Female Vocalist". Clark-Sheard then was hospitalized in 2001 after a blood vessel burst during a bariatric surgery, resulting in doctors giving her a 2% chance of survival. The experience inspired the title for her second album, 2nd Chance (2002). Clark-Sheard recorded two more live albums—The Heavens Are Telling (2003) and It's Not Over (2006)—before releasing All in One (2010), her second studio album. It debuted at number two on the Billboard Gospel Chart and entered the Billboard 200, while its single "Prayed Up" peaked at number nine on the Gospel Songs chart. Singers Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Faith Evans have named Clark Sheard and her sister Twinkie Clark as musical influences.

JEKALYN X THE LEGENDS - 2025-11-07T00:00:00.000000Z

Still Karen - 2024-08-23T00:00:00.000000Z

Harmonious: Globally Inspired Music from the EPCOT Nighttime Spectacular (Original Soundtrack) - 2021-10-29T00:00:00.000000Z

KIERRA (Deluxe) - 2021-04-09T00:00:00.000000Z

Throwback Slow Jams - 2020-10-02T00:00:00.000000Z

10 (Live) - 2017-09-15T00:00:00.000000Z

Incomparable - 2014-11-24T00:00:00.000000Z

I See Victory - 2014-10-27T00:00:00.000000Z

The Very Best of J Moss - 2014-01-17T00:00:00.000000Z

Live & Unplugged - 2013-08-27T00:00:00.000000Z

Finish Strong - 2013-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z

Best Days Yet - 2012-11-13T00:00:00.000000Z

V4...The Other Side - 2012-07-27T00:00:00.000000Z

Setlist: The Very Best Of Donnie McClurkin LIVE - 2011-12-27T00:00:00.000000Z

Mama I Want to Sing - 2011-01-18T00:00:00.000000Z

Top 25 Gospel Praise & Worship - 2010-10-15T00:00:00.000000Z

Remixed, Rare & Unreleased - 2010-09-28T00:00:00.000000Z

All In One - 2010-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z

Faithful To Believe - 2009-10-26T00:00:00.000000Z

We All Are One (Live In Detroit) - 2009-03-30T00:00:00.000000Z

The Best Of Gospel Superfest - 2009-02-10T00:00:00.000000Z

Bobby Jones Gospel: Faith Unscripted, Volume 1 - 2007-09-04T00:00:00.000000Z

V2... - 2007-04-03T00:00:00.000000Z

It's Not Over - 2006-01-24T00:00:00.000000Z

Mighty Wind - 2005-11-01T00:00:00.000000Z