Richard Smallwood, Grammy-nominated gospel composer behind classics like “Total Praise” and “I Love the Lord,” has died at 77. A look at his life, music, and enduring legacy.
Richard Smallwood, the classically trained composer, choir director, and one of gospel music’s most influential voices, died early Tuesday morning, December 30, 2025, in Sandy Spring, Maryland. He passed away at 12:36 a.m. at the Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center due to complications related to kidney failure. He was 77.
Over a career that spanned more than five decades, Richard Smallwood reshaped modern gospel music, blending classical structure with deep spiritual conviction and contemporary soul. His songs became staples in churches around the world and crossed over into mainstream culture, cementing his place as a towering figure in sacred music.
Songs That Defined a Generation of Worship
Smallwood wrote some of the most enduring songs in gospel history, including “I Love the Lord” and “Total Praise.” “I Love the Lord” reached a global audience when it was memorably recorded by Whitney Houston for The Preacher’s Wife soundtrack and later echoed in contemporary R&B through Boyz II Men.
“Total Praise,” first introduced in 2001, became his most unexpected and far-reaching work. The song transcended denominational lines and generations, even finding new life when Destiny’s Child incorporated it into their 2007 a cappella “Gospel Medley.”
Other beloved compositions such as “Center of My Joy,” “Anthem of Praise,” and “I’ll Trust You” remain foundational pieces of modern worship music.
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Early Life and Musical Roots
Born on November 30, 1948, in Atlanta, Georgia, Smallwood was raised primarily in Washington, D.C., by his mother, Mabel, and his stepfather, Rev. Chester Lee “C.L.” Smallwood, longtime pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church. A musical prodigy, he began playing piano by ear at just five years old. By seven, he was receiving formal training, and by eleven, he had already formed his first gospel group.
While attending high school, Smallwood was taught by Roberta Flack, years before she launched her legendary recording career.
Howard University and a Creative Circle of Legends
Smallwood graduated cum laude from Howard University with a degree in music. During his time there, he formed lasting friendships with classmates who would go on to become cultural icons, including Donny Hathaway, Debbie Allen, and Phylicia Rashad.
He was a founding member of Howard University’s Gospel Choir and part of the Celestials, the university’s first gospel ensemble—widely believed to be the first gospel group to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
The Richard Smallwood Singers and a New Gospel Sound
After briefly teaching music at the University of Maryland, Smallwood founded The Richard Smallwood Singers in 1977, inspired by seeing the Edwin Hawkins Singers perform live. The group brought a progressive, polished sound to gospel music, resonating strongly with young, educated Black Christians.
Signed to Onyx Records in 1982, their self-titled debut album spent an impressive 87 weeks on Billboard’s Spiritual Albums chart. Their 1984 release Psalms reached No. 1 on the same chart and earned a Grammy Award nomination.
The group’s 1987 album Textures produced their biggest hit, “Center of My Joy,” co-written with Bill and Gloria Gaither. The song introduced Smallwood to a broader, interracial Christian audience and has since been covered by artists across gospel traditions.
Vision, “Total Praise,” and Global Impact
In the 1990s, Smallwood disbanded the Singers and formed a large choir called Vision. With Vision, he released a series of albums that included gospel radio favorites like “Angels” and the monumental “Total Praise.”
Smallwood later revealed that “Total Praise” was written during a deeply painful period in his life while caring for ill loved ones. What began as a personal prayer became a global anthem of faith, sung in churches, concert halls, and memorial services worldwide.
His collaborations also included background work with Candi Staton and participation in Quincy Jones’s Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration.
Later Years, Final Works, and Honors
Smallwood’s 2007 live album Journey: Live in New York featured guest appearances from Chaka Khan, Kelly Price, and Kim Burrell. His final studio album, Anthology, was released in 2015 and included the radio hit “Same God.”
In 2019, he published his autobiography, Total Praise, candidly detailing family history, grief, depression, and the spiritual foundation behind his music.
In recent years, declining health and mild dementia kept him from recording, but he often spoke of music as both refuge and ministry. Over his lifetime, Smallwood earned eight Grammy Award nominations, three Dove Awards, and multiple Stellar Gospel Music Awards.
A Legacy That Will Endure
Richard Smallwood is survived by his brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and several godchildren. His music—rooted in faith, honesty, and musical excellence—continues to minister to millions.
As he once said, “Singing is only part of it. The ministry itself is much more than that.” Through his compositions, that ministry lives on.