Donald Lawrence studied at Cincinnati Conservatory, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in music. While in Cincinnati, he was also the Minister of Music at the Southern Baptist Church on Reading Road. To his credit, Donald's musicality has seen many incarnations, as vocal coach to the R&B group En Vogue, musical director for Stephanie Mills, songwriter for The Clark Sisters, and producer for a host of artists including Peabo Bryson and Kirk Franklin.
Lawrence took on The Tri-City Singers after a friend vacated his position as musical director.[1] (NOTE: The three cities that The Tri-City Singers come from are Spartanburg, SC, Gastonia, NC, and Charlotte, NC.) The group debuted in 1993 with A Songwriter's Point Of View on a then-brand-new independent record label called GospoCentric Records. The set debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top Gospel Charts.[3] The group's follow-up release Bible Stories would top those same charts when it arrived in 1995.[4] It was the first to be billed as Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers and featured black church-ubiquitous hits such as "A Message For The Saints", "I Am God" and "Stranger". The album was released on Lawrence's newly minted label Crystal Rose Records which was distributed through Sparrow Records.
In 1997, Donald Lawrence produced the live portion of Karen Clark Sheard's Grammy-nominated Finally Karen debut. Lawrence & Tri-City also released the seasonal Hello Christmas the same year. Later, Lawrence signed a contract with the Island Records imprint Island Inspirational. Though a live recording did take place for release, the album never materialized.
In 2000, Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers signed to EMI Gospel. To promote the new album, a maxi CD of the lead single "Testify" to the mainstream. House remixes by Junior Vasquez sent the song to #33 on Billboard's Mainstream Dance Charts. When tri-city4.com was finally released in 2001, the set peaked at #2 on Billboard's Top Gospel Charts and #13 on Billboard's Heatseekers Charts. The album also got a profile boost from the all-star standout "God's Favor", featuring vocal turns from Karen Clark Sheard, Kim Burrell, and Kelly Price.
Lawrence only waited a year before delivering the follow-up Go Get Your Life Back in 2002. "The Best is Yet to Come", a song sonically much in the vein of the previous smash "Testify," was chosen as the album's lead single. This release featured guest appearances from Ann Nesby (formerly of Sounds of Blackness) and gospel pioneer Walter Hawkins. The momentum continued with the 2003 release of Restoring The Years, a greatest hits album featuring two new songs.
The next album would mark a fresh start for Donald Lawrence. I Speak Life was his first solo album, the debut for his newly inked recording contract with Verity Records, and also the first release under his new sublabel Quiet Water Entertainment. Though the album was without The Tri-City Singers, guest appearances were plenteous. Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker, Faith Evans, Richard Smallwood, and Carl Thomas all contributed to the album. Even jazz notables Ramsey Lewis and Lalah Hathaway were on hand for a remake of the Bible Stories classic "Don't Forget To Remember". The effort earned Lawrence a total of 7 Stellar Award nominations, and 6 wins.
In March 2006, The Tri-City Singers announced that they would retire, but not before one last live recording. Finale: Act One and Finale: Act Two were released simultaneously on April 4, 2006. Each release was a CD/DVD set that chronicled the audio and video of one half of the concert, with packages that locked into one another respectively. A special edition of Finale was later released with both CDs and DVDs. The blowout concert included guest appearances from Karen Clark Sheard, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Daryl Coley, LaShun Pace, Darwin Hobbs, and many other gospel luminaries. The album's lead single "The Blessing Of Abraham" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance in December 2006. His sophomore solo album, The Law of Confession Part I was released in February 2009. Donald said in an interview that The Law of Confession, Part II will be released soon, but he's focusing on other projects.
Matthew 28
Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Early Sunday morning as the noon day was dawning,
Came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to the tomb.
Behold! There was a great earthquake! [x2]
For the angel of the Lord descended from Heaven
And rolled, rolled
And rolled,
Back the stone.
His countenance was like lightening and his raiment was as white as snow. [x3]
And for fear of Him the keepers did shake and became as dead men.
Fear not. [x3]
For I know ye seek Jesus who was crucified.
He is not here [x4]
For He has risen as he said.
Yeah!
See the place where the Lord lay.
Fear not. [x3]
For I know ye seek Jesus who was crucified.
He is not here [x4]
For He has risen as he said.
Yeah!
See the place where the Lord lay.
Remember how He said while He was yet in Galilee
I'll rise, I'll rise, Again [x4]
Alleluia [x3]
Amen [x6]
The lyrics to Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers's song Matthew 28 refer to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The first line "Destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up" is a reference to Jesus's claim that he would rebuild the temple in three days (John 2:19). The second half of the song describes Mary Magdalene and the other Mary visiting Jesus's tomb on the morning of the third day after his crucifixion, only to find the tomb empty and an angel of the Lord descending from heaven to tell them that Jesus had risen.
The lyrics also describe the fear of the guards at the tomb and the amazement of the women who witnessed the empty tomb. The repetition of "Fear not" reassures the listener that there is nothing to fear, and that Jesus has indeed risen from the dead. The song ends by referencing Jesus's words while he was still alive, that he would rise again. Overall, the lyrics celebrate the miracle of Jesus's resurrection and the hope it brings to believers.
Line by Line Meaning
Destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up [x3]
Jesus predicts that his body will rise again three days after his crucifixion.
Early Sunday morning as the noon day was dawning,
Came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to the tomb.
On the morning of the third day since Jesus' crucifixion, two women named Mary visit his tomb.
Behold! There was a great earthquake! [x2]
An earthquake happens as an angel of the Lord descends from Heaven.
For the angel of the Lord descended from Heaven
The angel of the Lord descended from Heaven [x3]
And rolled, rolled
And rolled,
Back the stone.
An angel of the Lord descends from Heaven and rolls the stone covering Jesus' tomb away.
His countenance was like lightening and his raiment was as white as snow. [x3]
The angel's appearance is described as bright and white.
And for fear of Him the keepers did shake and became as dead men.
The guards near the tomb become afraid of the angel and fall to the ground.
Fear not. [x3]
For I know ye seek Jesus who was crucified.
He is not here [x4]
For He has risen as he said.
Yeah!
See the place where the Lord lay.
The angel reassures the women that Jesus has risen from the dead, and encourages them to see for themselves.
Remember how He said while He was yet in Galilee
I'll rise, I'll rise, Again [x4]
Alleluia [x3]
Amen [x6]
The women are reminded of how Jesus had previously said he would rise from the dead, and the song praises God with the words 'Alleluia' and 'Amen.'
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: LAWRENCE THOM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@KingKJW3106
Everyone talking about the choir BUT THE MUSICIANS WAS WORKING IT TOO!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
@claryp1509
Heck yeah! Go horns!!!! 🎺 🎷
@cameronanderson8373
Facts!!!
@sophiasmith288
Exactly! 💯
@MsJoyce31202
👏
@kethadrummer8004
Sooooo true, and I have no idea why we do it... Maybe the background thing? 🧐
@sapfaplevitt301
This is suprerior!!!!!
Donald Lawrence is a master artist. Genius mind to orchestrate the way he always does.❤
@martindennis6837
My black brothers and sisters do amazing things when we are on one accord and the anointing is present !!! Thanks guys !!!
@kameelahsalaam4553
God is good!!! You ARE young, Brother Lawrence!
@kameelahsalaam4553
Beautiful!!! 💕❤️