DONNIE MCCLURKIN

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Great is Your Mercy




Quick facts about Donnie McClurkin

CAREER

Donald Andrew McClurkin Jr, otherwise known as Donnie McClurkin, is a gospel singer and minister from America. He was dubbed a ‘Reigning King of Urban Gospel’ by Variety.

ACTIVE FROM

1980-present

CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS

3 Grammy Awards and 2 additional Grammy nominations, 10 Stellar Awards, 2 BET Awards, 2 Soul Train Awards, 1 GMA Dove Award, and 1 NAACP Image Award




GENRE

Gospel, contemporary Christian music, praise and worship

PLACE OF ORIGIN

Copiague, New York, U.S.

ALBUMS

3 studio albums, 5 live albums, 4 compilation albums, 13 singles

Donnie McClurkin’s Early Life

Donnie McClurkin grew up in Copiague, New York and had an upbringing defined by tragedy. When he was eight years old, his two-year-old brother was hit and killed by a speeding driver. Soon after the loss, McClurkin experienced family turmoil due to the loss of his brother, and, shortly thereafter, was a victim of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of his great uncle, and years after that by his great uncle’s son. 

Two of his sisters dealt with substance abuse problems, which is when the young McClurkin found solace in his faith in the church. By the time he was a teenager, he had formed The McClurkin Singers and later formed another group, the New York Restoration Choir, with recordings dating back to 1975.

Donnie McClurkin’s Relationship with Christianity

An active member of the Christian community, Donnie McClurkin was hired as an associate minister at Marvin Winans’ Perfecting Church in Detroit, Michigan in 1989. McClurkin served as an assistant to Winans for over a decade. His faith led him through a successful time in this role, but it was in 1991 when it really came to his aid when he needed it most. 

Presenting to hospital with a sharp pain and swelling, Donnie McClurkin was diagnosed with Leukemia after extensive testing. His doctor suggested immediate treatment, but McClurkin who was then 31, decided to take his own advice saying, “I tell people to believe that God will save you, so I had to turn around and practice the very thing that I preached.” 

In 2001, he was ordained and sent out by the Winans to establish the Perfecting Faith Church in Freeport, New York, where he is now Senior Pastor.




Donnie’s Music Career

Donnie McClurkin’s close friendship with a Warner Alliance executive resulted in his signing to the label for his 1996 self-titled LP. 

The album featured the incredibly popular “Stand” and went gold shortly after being publicly lauded by Oprah Winfrey. At the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, he won in the category Traditional Soul Gospel Album for “Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs”. 

Donnie McClurkin is best known for his hit songs “We Fall Down” and “Stand”, which were played in heavy rotation on both Gospel and Urban radio. This exposure saw his three solo albums top the Billboard charts. 

Off the back of the success of his near double-platinum selling album, “Live in London and More” Donnie McClurkin released “Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs” in 2005 and “We All Are One: Live in Detroit” in 2009. These albums were released to critical and commercial praise topping the Billboard charts across various musical genres. McClurkin’s desire to share gospel music globally, is the reason he includes a Japanese, Russian, Spanish and Dutch language medley in most live performances.

From 2D to 3D

Tom Versen and Tony Sisti of T&T Creative signed Donnie McClurkin to a radio syndication deal with advertising giant Dial-Global and syndicator Gary Bernstein. T&T Creative provided a mobile recording studio in Pastor Donnie’s church that he takes on the road to spread his faith outside his own community. 

On this development in his career, Donnie McClurkin is quoted as saying, “As much as I love music and singing, I really love doing radio and the direct feedback I get from my listeners all over the country. I never thought I would be having this much fun doing radio and I could touch and impact so many beautiful people.” 

In 2009, he also broadcast his own television series, Perfecting Your Faith, on cable television. He has also featured on Good Morning America, CBS’s The Early Show, The View, Girlfriends and The Parkers, and appeared in such films as The Gospel and The Fighting Temptations.

What’s Next for Donnie McClurkin?

After such a successful and fulfilling professional life, Donnie McClurkin has shifted his focus into nurturing and developing his personal life. 

In 2021, McClurkin in an interview on TV One’s Unsung, spoke about his relationship with partner Nicole C. Mullen, explaining that he had never had a long-term relationship and he believes that this, as well as his previous relationships with men and women, had made him oblivious about what women want in a relationship. 

Despite this and all the challenges in his life, McClurkin told TV One he has found joy. “Happiness is something that’s relative,” he said. “I’ve got joy. Joy is consistent. Happiness is based on what happens. But joy is a constant type of assurance that everything’s going to be OK.”




donniemcclurkin+album+liveinlondonandmore

Live in London and More

donniemcclurkin+album+weallareoneliveindetroit

We All Are One (Live in Detroit)

ineedyoubydonniemcclurkin

I Need You

holyholyholybydonniemcclurkin

Holy, Holy, Holy

thatswhatibelievebydonniemcclurkin

That’s What I Believe

greatisyourmercybydonniemcclurkin

Great Is Your Mercy

wefalldownbydonniemcclurkin

We Fall Down

illtrustyoulordbydonniemcclurkin

I’ll Trust You, Lord

onlyyouareholybydonniemcclurkin

Only You Are Holy

createinmeacleanheartbydonniemcclurkin

Create in Me a Clean Heart

icallyoufaithfulbydonniemcclurkin

I Call You Faithful

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