KIRK FRANKLIN LIVE IN BALTIMORE PROFESSIONAL

In 1996, Franklin's song 'Joy' was recorded by WhitneyвЂ…Houston and the GeorgiaвЂ…MassвЂ…Choir. It also brought Franklin another Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, as well as three Grammy nominations. 3 on the Pop charts, and would go on to be certified 3x platinum. 1 on the R&B Albums chart for five weeks, No. God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation was No. 1 on the R&B Singles Airplay chart for two weeks, even making it into the TopвЂ…40. The lead single, ' Stomp', featuring CherylвЂ…'Salt'вЂ…James (of Salt-N-Pepa), was a big hit, enjoying heavy rotation on MTV and other music channels and charting at No. 1997 brought another album, a collaboration with the vocal ensemble God'sвЂ…Property, aptly named God'sвЂ…PropertyвЂ…fromвЂ…KirkвЂ…Franklin'sвЂ…NuвЂ…Nation. The album was certified 2x platinum and earned Franklin his first GrammyвЂ…Award for BestвЂ…ContemporaryвЂ…SoulвЂ…GospelвЂ…Album. Two years later, after releasing a 1995 Christmas album entitled KirkвЂ…FranklinвЂ…&вЂ…theвЂ…FamilyвЂ…Christmas, the group released WhatchaвЂ…Lookin'вЂ…4 in 1996. It was the first gospel music album to sell over a million units. 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart for 42 weeks.

It spent almost two years on the gospel music charts and charted on the R&B charts, eventually earning platinum sales status. In 1993, the group, now known as 'Kirk Franklin & The Family,' released their debut album, KirkвЂ…FranklinвЂ…&вЂ…TheвЂ…Family.

In 1992, Vicki Mack-Lataillade, the co-founder of fledgling GospoCentricвЂ…Records label, heard one of their demo tapes and was so impressed she immediately signed up Kirk & The Family to a recording contract.

In 1992, Franklin organized 'The Family', which was a 17-voice choir, formed from neighborhood friends and associates. This led to Biggham hiring Franklin, just 20 years old at the time, to lead the choir at the 1990 GospelвЂ…MusicвЂ…WorkshopвЂ…ofвЂ…America Convention, an industry gathering. Impressed, Biggham enlisted him to lead the DFW Mass Choir in a recording of Franklin's song 'Every Day with Jesus'. He also co-founded a gospelвЂ…group The Humble Hearts, which recorded one of Franklin's compositions and got the attention of gospel music legend Milton Biggham, musical director of the GeorgiaвЂ…MassвЂ…Choir. When he was aged 15 he witnessed the death of a friend by shooting, after which Franklin returned to the church, where he again directed the choir. He continued under her tutelage and ultimately became the pianist for the choir. ДЇranklin studied music with Jewell Kelly and the Singing Chaparrals at OscarвЂ…DeanвЂ…WyattвЂ…HighвЂ…School. He was accepted, but later he had to deal with a girlfriend's pregnancy and his eventual expulsion from school for bad behavior.

KIRK FRANKLIN LIVE IN BALTIMORE PROFESSIONAL

In his teenage years, Franklin rebelled against his strict religious upbringing, and in an attempt to keep him out of trouble, his grandmother arranged an audition for him at a professional youth conservatory associated with a local university. Rose Baptist Church adult choir at 11 years of age.

He did join the church choir and became music director of the Mt. ДЄt the age of seven, Franklin received his first contract which his aunt turned down. Kirk excelled and was able to read and write music while also playingвЂ…byвЂ…ear. Gertrude recycled aluminum cans to raise money for Kirk to take piano lessons from the age of four. A native of FortвЂ…Worth,вЂ…Texas, Franklin was raised by his aunt, Gertrude, having been abandoned as a baby by his mother.

Kirk franklin live in baltimore