Shirley Caesar Biography
Shirley Caesar is a famous gospel singer from the United States who has been performing for seven decades. Caesar is known as the “First Lady of Gospel Music” and “The Queen of Gospel Music,” and she has won 11 Grammy Awards, as well as Dove and Stellar Awards.
How old is Shirley Caesar?- Age
Caesar is 84 years old as of October 2022. She was born on 13 October 1938 in Durham, North Carolina, United States.
Shirley Caesar Education
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with honors from Shaw University in 1984. She also attended the Divinity School at Duke University for a while, and Shaw University and Southeastern University have both awarded her an honorary doctorate.
Shirley Caesar Height
Caesar stands at a height of 6 feet and 3 inches(1.93 m) tall.
Shirley Caesar’s Parents – Family- Siblings
Caesar was born in the city of Durham, North Carolina. She is the tenth of thirteen children. Her siblings are all no longer alive. Shirley’s father, Jim Caesar, was a well-known local gospel singer who died unexpectedly when she was seven years old. Hallie Caesar, her mother, was semi-invalid due to a lame leg. Caesar bonded with her mother and cared for her until her death in 1986.
Shirley Caesar Husband- Children
Caesar married Bishop Harold I. Williams in June 1983. The couple served as co-pastors of Raleigh, North Carolina’s 1,500-member Mount Calvary Word of Faith Church until his death on July 4, 2014. She has no biological children, but she does have two stepchildren from her husband.
Shirley Caesar Mansion
1.5M A stunning Star Wars-themed movie theater is for sale in Raleigh. The four-bedroom, seven-bathroom, 8,759-square-foot property on Lockhart Lane in Raleigh, NC, owned by 11-time Grammy Award-winning musician Shirley Caesar, was dubbed the Star Wars mansion online after pictures of the listing went viral.
Shirley Caesar Music Career
Caesar began performing and singing for friends and family at first. As the invitations came in, she began touring the Carolinas as Baby Shirley Caesar. She could only perform on weekends because she was in school during the week. She began her professional music career at the age of 19 when she approached Albertina Walker about joining The Caravans, one of the most popular gospel groups at the time. Albertina wanted Caesar to join her group after hearing him sing solo. Caesar decided to skip school in order to join the group. Among the Caravans with whom Caesar recorded and performed were Albertina Walker, Cassietta George, Inez Andrews, Delores Washington, Josephine Howard, Eddie Williams, and James Herndon.
In 1977, Caesar signed with a secular record label called Roadshow Records and released her first album, First Lady, in order to reach a wider audience with her music. Caesar was the label’s first female recording artist, so the producer dubbed the album “First Lady.” The album included songs with strong gospel lyrics, but many gospel DJs refused to play it on their radio stations because it was “too worldly.” ” In contrast, “Faded Rose” went on to become a Caesar classic. The album did not sell well overall, but the gospel industry liked the name “First Lady,” so concert announcers, DJs, and gospel promoters began referring to her as “The First Lady of Gospel Music,” a moniker that has stuck with her ever since. Caesar looked for a gospel label and eventually signed with Word Records in 1980. Over the next few years and beyond, he won several more Grammy Awards. She stayed with Word for a long time and recorded some of her biggest hits, including “God’s Got It All in Control,” “Hold My Mule,” “He’s Working It Out for You,” “Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name,” and “You’re Next in Line for a Miracle.” Later, “You Name It” became a Thanksgiving-related Internet meme.
Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston, Dorothy Norwood, Faith Evans, Dottie Peoples, Arnold Houston, Kim Burrell, Kirk Franklin, Tonex, and Tye Tribbett are among the artists she has worked with. Caesar is also an actress. She starred in films such as “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” (1998), “Fighting Temptations” (2003, co-starring Beyoncé and Cuba Gooding Jr.), and “The Unseen” (2005), which starred Steve Harris. She also appeared as Aunt Shirley in an episode of The Good News in 1998. Caesar made an appearance on The Parkers in 2004. Bakermat sampled her 1972 album Get Up My Brother song “Teach Me Master” in 2014 to create “Teach Me,” which reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart. Fill This House, her most recent CD, she returned to the top of the gospel Billboard chart in 2016.
Shirley Caesar Net Worth
Caesar has an estimated net worth of $16 Million.
Shirley Caesar’s Songs and Albums
SONGS:
- No Charge
- Hold My Mule
- I Know the Truth (Lies)
- Sweeping Through the City
- Nobody
- Favor
- God Will Make a Way
- It’s Alright, It’s Ok
- Fill This House
ALBUMS:
- First Lady
- From the Heart
- Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name
- Sailin’
- Celebration
- Live in Chicago
- I Remember Mama
- He’s Working it Out for You
- Stand Still
- Shirley Caesar Live…He Will Come
- Christmasing
- Just a Word
- A Miracle in Harlem
- Christmas with Shirley Caesar
- You Can Make It
- Shirley Caesar & Friends
- I Know the Truth
- After 40 Years…Still Sweeping Through the City
- The Definitive Gospel Collection
- A City Called Heaven
- The Ultimate Collection
- Giving & Sharing: A Christmas Collection
- Platinum Gospel: Shirley Caesar
- Fill This House