Andraé Edward Crouch, was born on 1 July, 1942, in Los Angeles, California . Crouch’s 70's legacy is one of the richest in the gospel genre, yet he has never appealed to the music’s purists. The conservative elements in gospel music have seen his incorporation of rock n roll showmanship and riffs as inappropriate at best, and blasphemy at worst. A gifted singer, songwriter and keyboard player, Crouch undertook a traditional apprenticeship by playing piano and singing in church.
For son-of-a-preacher man Andrae, 'playing church' was a childhood equivalent of playing cowboys and Indians. By the age of eight brother and sister were amusing themselves with a pie tin for a tambourine and a commode for a platform. The games came to an abrupt end when one particularly exuberant 'service' ended with the commode breaking!
At nine Andrae was converted through the preaching of his father. He remembers, "I sat there in the audience listening. When he gave the invitation I went forward. I just felt so close to the Lord. I cried and cried. When everybody started singing, I was so happy jumping around that I split my new shoes!"
A few months later Benjamin Crouch was hesitating over accepting an invitation to pastor a church - which had no one willing or able to play the piano for the services. Andrae recalls, "One day in the service dad called me up front, laid hands on me and prayed, 'Lord, I don't know what you want me to do, but if you want me to be pastor full time really give Andrae the gift of music' He asked me, 'Andrae, if the Lord gives you the gift of music, will you use it?'" The nine year old eagerly assented. Two weeks later the father sat the youngster at the piano bench and Andrae started playing. "Dad kept his promise and took the pastorate. I played for all the services and later started a choir. At district meetings and youth rallies, I'd play the piano when I could."
With brother Benjamin Jerome Jr and sister Sandra, Andrae formed a homespun singing group who performed in local churches. Then in the mid 60's Andrae, who'd done well at school and was a teacher for over a year, felt God calling him into full time ministry.
He joined the LA branch of Dave 'Cross And The Switchblade' Wilkerson's Teen Challenge and worked with the rehabilitation centre for drug addicts. During that time at Teen Challenge he began songwriting.
"There the Lord really put a burden on my heart for people. I saw the effects of my music on people that didn't know the Lord and I began to write songs like 'A Broken Vessel' and 'I Find No Fault In Him' because there were a lot of troubles around at the time."
Later he formed COGICS (Church Of God In Christ Singers) in the early 60's with twin sister Sandra, Blinky Williams, Gloria Jones, Frankie Spring, Edna Wright and Billy Preston. Together they recorded one album for Vee-Jay Records and won numerous awards and competitions throughout California. They were the first to record Crouch's signature composition, 'The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power'.
While members of that group moved on to successful solo careers, Crouch concentrated on launching the Disciples in 1965. In 1968 Andrae left Teen Challenge and took Andrae Crouch And The Disciples on the road. Within a year Andrae Crouch had recorded their first album for Ralph Carmichael's Light Records 'Take The Message Everywhere". It sold well and established the group on the gospel touring circuit and 18 months later another LP, 'Keep On Singin" sold even better. Although only a few albums emerged, the group toured widely and was the first to play gospel rock, the music with which Crouch’s name would become synonymous. When Sandra returned from back-up singing duties with Diana Ross in 1970, she reunited with her brother and The Disciples. They made a series of recordings together throughout the 70's that were highlighted by guest slots from the Crusaders and Stevie Wonder.
In the late 70's Crouch launched his solo career, quickly establishing himself as one of the genre’s most successful and innovative artists. Crouch was awarded several Grammy awards for his songs, some of which were recorded by Elvis Presley, Paul Simon, the Imperials and Pat Boone. He has also worked as a producer and arranger with pop and soul artists including Elton John, Michael Jackson, Madonna and Diana Ross, and worked on soundtracks for movies including The Lion King and Free Willy.
On stage he could be deeply serious and punctuated his songs with testimony, praise and exhortation in true gospel style. Off-stage he was a hilarious companionate and spent a lot of his time helping lesser-known artists.
He received seven Grammy awards, had a song, Heaven Belongs to You, on the Oscar-nominated soundtrack for The Color Purple (1985), and was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004. In 2009 his song Soon and Very Soon was performed by his choir at the funeral of Michael Jackson.
The Andrae Crouch legacy can be heard in churches around the world every Sunday morning when the choir belts out standards such as "I Surrender All", "My Tribute: To God Be The Glory", "Through It All", "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power" or "Bless The Lord Oh My Soul". He wrote them all.
In recent years Andrae Crouch has had a variety of health issues, including diabetes and cancer, pneumonia and congestive heart failure. His passing came from a heart attack.
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