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Rev. James Cleveland (1932-1991)
Rev. James Cleveland, known as "King of Gospel" or "Crown Prince", was
born in Chicago on December 5, 1932. In his childhood, he first sang
gospel at the Pilgrim Baptist Church under the direction of Thomas A.
Dorsey.
In 1951, Cleveland joined the Gospelaires. During 1950s, he briefly joined various groups such as Caravans, Meditation Singers, and Gospel All-Stars. In 1960, he formed the Cleveland Singers. The group's keyboardist was Billy Preston, who would later become an R&B legend. During 1960s, Cleveland became a minister and founded Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church in Los Angeles. His career as a gospel musician established today's gospel choir style. Cleveland also held an annual convention for young singers and instrumentalists in Philadelphia, which later became the Gospel Music Workshop of America. He died on February 9, 1991.
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