The number of gospel singers that crossed over to mainstream to impact secular music could probably be counted on two hands. Aretha Franklin, Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams, Whitney Houston and the Winans come to mind.
But, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few decades, the Clark Sisters have not only made unforgettable hits such as, “Miracle”, “Balm in Gilead”, “Speak Lord”, “Ha-Ya” and “You Brought the Sunshine”, but they also have influenced your favorite music artists, including Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, Faith Evans, Fantasia and Destiny’s Child.
So, it was delightful to hear that the legendary gospel group would be getting their very own Lifetime biopic with the original movie The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel.
The film aired on Saturday, April 11 drawing in 2.7 million viewers, making it the “highest-rated film for the network since 2016”. It also takes the ranking of the top original TV movie of 2020 and best original movie in ad-supported cable since 2018.
Executive produced by Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel follows the rise of the highest-selling, all-female gospel group in history.
Cultivated in 1966 by the singers’ mother Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, the detroit-native Clark Sisters have won numerous awards that include three Grammys and several No. 1 Billboard hits.
The original members include Twinkie, Dorinda, Jacky, Karen and Denise, who later departed the group. Kierra Sheard, the real-life daughter of the Clark Sisters singer Karen Clark Sheard, plays her mother in the movie.
An encore aired on Sunday and Monday night. Viewers that missed the premiere and encores can wait until it rebroadcasts on Saturday, April 18 on Lifetime or watch the movie on streaming services, such as Philo TV, Hulu Live TV, and Lifetime streaming.
View the trailer below:
