Grammy-Nominated Singer and Songwriter Richard Smallwood Dead at 77

Richard Smallwood has passed away.

PEOPLE reports that the Grammy-nominated gospel singer and songwriter died of complications of kidney failure at a nursing home in Sandy Spring, Maryland, on Tuesday, per his representative. He was 77.

“We are saddened to announce the passing of world-renowned artist, songwriter, and musician, Richard Smallwood,” read a statement on his Facebook page. “The family asks that you respect our privacy during this difficult time, while helping to celebrate the legacy he leaves behind and the gifts he unselfishly shared with the world.”

Born on Nov. 30, 1948 in Atlanta, Smallwood was raised in Washington, D.C., where his stepfather served as pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church. By age 5, he was playing piano by ear and had formed his own gospel group by age 11. Before breaking out into the industry and winning five Grammys, Roberta Flack was one of Smallwood’s high school teachers. He graduated cum laude from Howard University and was a member of the school’s first gospel group, the Celestials.

Smallwood taught music at the University of Maryland and later founded the Richard Smallwood Singers in 1977. The Grammy-nominated group, also comprised of Dottie Jones, Jackie Ruffin, and Darlene Simmons, reached the top of Billboard’s Spiritual albums chart with their sophomore album, Psalms, in 1984. After releasing seven albums, Smallwood disbanded the Smallwood Singers in the ‘90s and formed the large backing choir Vision, with whom he released his biggest hit, “Total Praise.”

Throughout his 50-year career, many high-profile artists covered his songs. In 1996, Whitney Houston covered “I Love the Lord” with the Georgia Mass Choir for The Preacher’s Wife soundtrack, while Boyz II Men sang a snippet of the song on their 1997 album Evolution. In 2007, Destiny’s Child covered “Total Praise” during a gospel medley. Meanwhile, Smallwood’s final album, Anthology, was released in 2015. His memoir, Total Praise: The Autobiography of Richard Smallwood, was released in 2019 and details his journey through love, music, grief, and mental health struggles.

Smallwood was nominated for eight Grammys throughout his career, and won three Dave Awards and multiple Stellar Gospel Music Awards. He was diagnosed with “mild dementia and a variety of other health issues” in recent years, according to a press release. He is survived by his brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and godchildren.