Rev. Timothy Wright and his wife, Betty

The Passing Of Rev. Timothy Wright

NEW YORK -- The Rev. Timothy Wright, the Grammy-nominated gospel singer and composer known for his up-tempo praise songs and powerful mass choir sound, has died. He was 61.

Wright, who was seriously injured in a car crash that killed his wife and grandson, died early Thursday at the Bronx Veterans Hospital, music agent Will Bogle said. Timothy Wright was the pastor at Grace Tabernacle Christian Center Church of God in Christ, located in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn. He released more than a dozen gospel recordings, writing many of the songs. His latest album, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus," came out in 2007.

In 1994, his record "Come Thou Almighty King," with the New York Fellowship Mass Choir, made the Billboard Top 20 charts for gospel albums and was nominated for a Grammy for best traditional soul gospel album.
He got another nomination in that category in 1999 for "Been There Done That," recorded with the B/J Mass Choir and featuring Myrna Summers.

"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" features the New York Fellowship Mass Choir. The title track, written by Wright and his wife and recorded live at a Church of God in Christ convocation, expresses the plight of a woman displaced during Hurricane Katrina: She encourages herself and others by calling the name of Jesus. Among the other songs on the album was "You Must Come In At the Door."

According to the book "Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Encyclopedia," by Bil Carpenter, the Brooklyn-born Wright began playing piano for his local church at age 12 and also began composing at a young age.
By his early 20s, he was music director at Brooklyn's Washington Temple Church of God in Christ.

He began writing songs for such fellow musicians as Mattie Moss Clark and the Rev. Isaac Douglas, according to Carpenter's book, and in 1976 formed the Timothy Wright Concert Choir. Among the choir's albums were "Who's on the Lord's Side?" and "Do You Know the Light?"

Wright was critically injured July 4 in a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 80 near Loganton, Pa. Another car was going the wrong way when it struck Wright's car.

His wife, Betty Wright, 58, was killed in the crash, and their 14-year-old grandson, D.J. Wright, died later at a hospital.
The driver of the wrong-way car, John Pick, also was killed, while a passenger in a third car was injured.
The Wrights were returning from a Church of God in Christ conference in Detroit, said Leroy Johnson, a trustee at Grace Tabernacle.

David "Pop" Winans Passed Away

David "Pop" Winans had suffered a heart attack and stroke in October 2008, but the patriarch of the musical dynasty, The Winans Family, passed away quietly at 4 p.m. CST on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 in Nashville, TN at the Alive Hospice with wife, Delores Winans at his bedside.


The Winans Family wishes to thank everyone for their prayers and continued support, but would appreciate privacy at this time.


Pop Winans was born David Glenn on April 20, 1934 in Detroit, Michigan. He was raised in the Mack Avenue (COGIC) where his grandfather Isaiah Winans was the pastor. At the age of 18, Winans began singing with the Nobelaires quartet group. A saxophonist and clarinet player, he later joined the Lemon Gospel Chorus in 1950. There he met his future wife Delores Ransom, who sang in the ensemble.


After their 1953 marriage, Winans juggled multiple jobs (car salesman, taxi driver, custodian and barber) to take care of the ten children the couple would eventually have. Aside from his various entrepreneurial activities, Winans began to preach sermons in the late 1960s and was very active in his community. He started a youth organization in 1968.


"We had 300 kids; ten little league baseball teams, a track team, arts and crafts. We were trying to do everything we could to help the youth," he said in 1999.


Winans took his kids with him on various cleaning contracts he landed. They'd help him clean a local McDonalds and a Social Security office. He once said, "All the kids did some kind of work and developed a strong work ethic. I'd strap BeBe on my back and jump on my motorcycle and go to clean up a McDonalds."


It was through odd jobs such as these that Winans was able to raise enough money to finance his sons' first album. After Gospel legend Andrae Crouch secured a recording contract for The Winans (Michael, Marvin, Carvin and Ronald), Winans acted as their manager for a while.


The Winans became the biggest male Gospel quartet of the 1980s. The six-time Grammy Award winning group is known for songs such as "It's Time" and "Ain't No Need to Worry" featuring Anita Baker. Then their children Bebe & Cece Winans formed a duo and enjoyed #1 platinum R&B/Gospel crossover hits such as "Addictive Love" and "I'll Take You There." The remaining Winans children Daniel Winans, and Angie & Debbie Winans have also enjoyed successful recording careers.


After watching all their children perform for the world, Mom & Pop Winans (as David and Delores are affectionately known), recorded their Grammy Award nominated debut CD "Mom & Pop Winans" for Sparrow Records in 1989. Their second album "The Rest of My Life" featured a rocking rendition of "Go Tell It on the Mountain" that was popular in church circles.


In 1999, daughter Angie and son-in-law Cedric Caldwell took Pop Winans into the studio and had him record the kind of quartet and bluesy music he grew up on. The solo CD "Uncensored" won him a Grammy Award nomination and rave reviews. Billboard magazine hailed it as "some of the most compelling music this century has spawned."


In recent years, Winans and his wife have been fixtures at Benny Hinn crusades and on The Trinity Broadcasting Network's (TBN) "Praise the Lord" program.


Memorial services for Pop Winans will be held at the following:


TUESDAY, APRIL 14TH
7:00 p.m. - Memorial Service/Viewing
Perfecting Church
7616 E. Nevada
Detroit, MI 48234
(313) 365-3787

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15TH
10:00a.m. - Homegoing Celebration Service
Perfecting Church
7616 E. Nevada
Detroit, MI 48234
(313) 365-3787

MCFALL BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME
9419 Dexter Ave
Detroit, MI 48206
(313) 895-8900
* Flowers will be received at this location

The Winans Family wishes to thank everyone for their prayers and continued support. Flowers, donations and well wishes can be sent to Perfecting Church as well.