O'Landa Draper

O'Landa Draper
Born (1963-09-29)September 29, 1963
Origin Memphis, Tennessee, United States[1]
Died July 21, 1998(1998-07-21) (aged 34)
Genres Gospel
Occupation(s) Choir director, songwriter, singer, musician
Labels Word, Warner
Associated acts Hezekiah Walker, Kirk Franklin, Billy Joel, Ricky Dillard, Donald Lawrence, Albertina Walker, Shirley Caesar

O'Landa Draper (September 29, 1963 – July 21, 1998)[2] was a Grammy Award-winning Gospel music artist. He was the founder of the Associates Choir and is considered to be one of the top gospel artists of the 1990s. Draper was nominated for the Grammy Award, Stellar Awards and the Dove Award multiple times.

Draper was known for his choir directing style. Songs that were well known by fans of Draper's work were, "My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord", "Lift the Savior Up, "Stand Up", Gotta Feelin'", "He Touched Me", and "Give It Up".[3]

Early life

Draper grew up in Alabama and Washington D.C. listening to gospel music as a child. His late mother, Marie Draper, was a gospel music promoter and artist, and was a main reason for his fascination in the genre. When he was 13, he moved to Memphis and attended Overton High School (Memphis, Tennessee) where he joined a glee club. He began to write and sing gospel music in the club. After he finished his musical studies in high school, he moved on to the Memphis State where he directed the school's choir. After school he would work part-time for Federal Express.[4]

In 1985, he formed his own choir and named them "The Associates" in Memphis, Tennessee. Gospel artist Earnest Pugh was once a member of The Associates.[5]

Musical career

Draper and the choir signed over to Word Records and recorded their first label album, Do It Again in 1990. Their second album, Above and Beyond, was their first Grammy nominated album. The choir went on performing across the United States, performing for presidents such as Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. The choir also sang back up for Billy Joel during the 1994 Grammy Awards, performed with celebrities such as actress Jennifer Holliday, performer B.B. King and other gospel artists such as Albertina Walker and Shirley Caesar. Draper hosted gospel workshops around the world in nations such as Europe and in countries such as the Bahamas. He recorded a live workshop that took place in 1994 in Memphis, Tennessee.[6] It featured artist such as Kirk Franklin and Yolanda Adams. In that same year, Draper recorded Live: A Celebration of Praise, his second Grammy nominated album. The album's well known song "My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord" was the only song recorded for VHS.[4]

In 1996, Draper recorded for Warner Music Group and released his third Grammy nominated live album Gotta Feelin. The album was also recorded for VHS. The song "Gotta Feelin'" was featured in WOW Gospel 1998, the first Gospel album of the WOW series. In 1998, Draper released his last album before his passing, Reflections. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album in 1999.[7][8]

Death and legacy

On July 21, 1998, only weeks after his recording of "Reflections", Draper died of renal failure.[9] In 2000, the Associates choir, led by Draper's fiance Patrina Smith, recorded their last album All About Him (Jesus) in Memphis, Tennessee. The album introduces new songs such as "All about Him", "Clean Me Up" and old favorites such as "My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord". The song "I'll See You Again" is a song dedicated to Draper and his legacy. The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album in 2002.

Gospel Artist Hezekiah Walker in a tribute to Draper, performed "I've Got a Reason to Praise the Lord" in his live recording album Family Affair in 1999. He renamed the song "I've Got a Reason (Draper's Legacy)."

In 2010, the Brat Pack, a Gospel group that started in the 1990s that consisted of individual gospel artists' Hezekiah Walker, Donald Lawrence, and Ricky Dillard, reunited to perform during the Gospel Music Workshop of America. They performed Draper's song "My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord".[10] In 2016, the Stellar Awards honored him with the Rev.James Clevland Lifetime Achievement Award. Ricky Dillard, Donald Lawrence and Hezekiah Walker along with the Associates sang some of his greatest hits. His sister and nephew accepted the award on his behalf.

Discography

References

  1. ↑ Carpenter, Bil (2005). Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 125–. ISBN 9780879308414. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  2. ↑ "O'Landa Draper". Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Celebration of Life". Amazon.com. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "O'Landa Draper". Take Me Back: Gospel Series. NuthinButGospel.com. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Biography". Earnest Pugh. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  6. ↑ "News Release". Eskridge Law. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  7. ↑ Jones, Kim. "WOW Gospel 1998: The Year's 30 Top Artists & Songs". About.com. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  8. ↑ Kot, Greg (January 6, 1999). "10 Nominations Put Lauryn Hill Atop Grammy Heap". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  9. ↑ "O'Landa Draper & the Associates: Biography". Billboard.com. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  10. ↑ James, Robert Hasaon (July 28, 2010). "The Brat Pack Reunion – Live at GMWA". Root Magazine. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  11. ↑ "O'Landa Draper". StarPulse.com. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
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