Brief Biography
Karen Clark Sheard was born the youngest of six children born to Pastor Elbert Clark and Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, a pioneering gospel choral director. Clark-Sheard is best known for being a member of iconic gospel group The Clark Sisters.
Karen's involvement in the Island Inspirational All Stars' "Don't Give Up" in 1996 (along with Donald Lawrence, Hezekiah Walker, and Kirk Franklin) led to her signing with Island Records.[1] Her solo career began with the release of her debut album Finally Karen in 1997. The album, consisting of half studio recordings and half live recordings, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album in 1998. The set did however win the Lady Of Soul award for Best Gospel Album the same year.[2]
After Yolanda Adams, Karen Clark-Sheard became the 2nd gospel artist to sign to Elektra Records. She released her Elektra debut album 2nd Chance in 2002 led off by the single "Be Sure". Though Clark-Sheard was in excellent form vocally, the slick, progressive sound of the disc was not received well. The 2003 followup The Heavens Are Telling fared well, but came at an awkward time when Elektra Records was being dissolved into Atlantic Records. In 2005, after a bidding war with several labels, Karen Clark Sheard finally signed with Word Records and issued It's Not Over, the following year.
Singers Mariah Carey, Faith Evans and Beyoncé all count Karen Clark-Sheard as one of their greatest vocal influences.[3]
Personal life
On June 16, 1984, Karen Clark-Sheard wed John Drew Sheard, a minister. Her husband is senior pastor of Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ in Detroit. Together they have 2 children: Kierra, who is also a gospel recording artist, and John Drew Sheard II, a young musician and up-and-coming producer.
In 2001, Clark-Sheard was faced with a life-threatening crisis when a blood vessel burst during a scheduled hernia surgery. Her doctors only gave her a 2% chance of survival due to her complications. After the blood clot was surgically removed, Clark-Sheard fell into a coma. The coma lasted three and a half weeks[4], but Clark-Sheard made a miraculous [5][6]recovery and recorded her sophomore album, 2nd Chance (named so because of the "second chance" given to her by God) [7], in 2002. Clark-Sheard's near-death experience is referenced in her daughter Kierra's song "You Don't Know".
Voice
* 1st Soprano
Highest Note
* Eb6 in "Name it and Claim it" (Gospel, motion picture, 1982) and "Livin'" ("You Showed Me" was a C6 natural)
Lowest Note
* G3 in "So Good" and "Its Not Over" (version from album of same title)
Be Blessed
Karen Clark Sheard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too many storms have passed your way
And you're all washed out cause it rained on your parade
Seems nobody cares about you anyway
Now you're living your life like a castaway
Searched for strength inside was it all in vain
Cause the deeper you dig you find more and more pain
Don't let your tomorrow be like yesterday
And on your behalf, I just asked if He would be there for you
I want you to
[Chorus]
Be Blessed, Don't live life in distress
Just let go, let God, He'll work it out for you
I pray that your soul will be blessed
Forever in his rest, Cause you deserve his best no less
[Verse 2]
Enter a place where you never have to cry
Never have to live a lie, never have to wonder why
Never want for nothing you're always satisfied
In the peace that his arms will provide
He will erase any guilt or shame, any bad habits you've got
You won't wanna do em again, Yes we all can change, I can testify
See I spoke to God, I called out your name
And on your behalf, I just asked, If he would be there for you
I want you to
[Chorus]
My prayer for you today, Is that you trust and always obey
On this day keep calling [choir]
On this day keep calling [solo]
He'll keep you from falling [choir]
He'll keep you from falling [solo]
He'll supply the answers [choir]
Yes He will, if you stand in faith and trust Him to make a way out of no way [solo]
[Chorus]
Be blessed from the bottom of your feet to the crown of your head
Your life be blessed
Your family be blessed
Your finances be blessed
Everything about you
In the song "Be Blessed" by Karen Clark Sheard, the lyrics offer a message of hope and encouragement to those who have faced hardships in life. The first verse addresses the pain that many individuals encounter, stating that too many storms have passed and it seems nobody cares. However, the song reminds listeners not to give up hope, with the chorus urging them to let go and let God work things out. The second verse offers a glimpse into what life can be like when one embraces faith in God, where they never have to cry, live a lie or wonder why. The song offers a reminder that with faith, one can find peace, and the strength to overcome any bad habits, shame or guilt they may have.
The chorus repeats the message of being blessed and encourages listeners to live a life free of distress. The song also offers a prayer of trust and obedience, reminding individuals to call upon God in times of need. The message of the song is that in spite of pain and disappointment in life, one can lean on their faith to find peace and blessings.
Line by Line Meaning
Too many storms have passed your way
You have faced many difficulties in your life
And you're all washed out cause it rained on your parade
Those difficulties have left you feeling drained and discouraged
Seems nobody cares about you anyway
You feel like you are alone and that no one cares about you
Now you're living your life like a castaway
You feel like you have been abandoned or isolated
Searched for strength inside was it all in vain
You have tried to find strength within yourself, but it has not been successful
Cause the deeper you dig you find more and more pain
The more you try to overcome your struggles, the more problems you seem to encounter
Don't let your tomorrow be like yesterday
Do not allow your past struggles to dictate your future
Cause I spoke to God, I called out your name
The singer has prayed to God on behalf of the listener
And on your behalf, I just asked if He would be there for you
The singer has asked God to be present and supportive in the listener's life
Be Blessed, Don't live life in distress
The singer wants the listener to be blessed and not live in a state of distress
Just let go, let God, He'll work it out for you
The singer encourages the listener to trust in God and allow Him to handle their problems
I pray that your soul will be blessed
The singer hopes that the listener's innermost self will be blessed
Forever in his rest, Cause you deserve his best no less
The singer believes that the listener deserves to experience the best that God has to offer
Enter a place where you never have to cry
The singer wants the listener to experience a place of peace and happiness where they no longer have to feel sad
Never have to live a lie, never have to wonder why
The singer wants the listener to live authentically and without confusion or doubt
Never want for nothing you're always satisfied
The singer wants the listener to feel content and fulfilled in every area of their life
He will erase any guilt or shame, any bad habits you've got
God is capable of removing the listener's feelings of guilt or shame, as well as any harmful habits they may have
You won't wanna do em again, Yes we all can change, I can testify
The singer believes that the listener can overcome their bad habits and change for the better
My prayer for you today, Is that you trust and always obey
The singer's prayer is that the listener will trust God and always follow His guidance
He'll keep you from falling
God will prevent the listener from experiencing failure or harm
He'll supply the answers
God will provide the listener with solutions to their problems
If you stand in faith and trust Him to make a way out of no way
The singer believes that if the listener has faith in God, He will guide them even in impossible situations
Be blessed from the bottom of your feet to the crown of your head
The singer wants the listener to experience blessings in every area of their life
Your life be blessed
The singer wants the listener's overall life to be filled with blessings
Your family be blessed
The singer wants the listener's family to experience blessings as well
Your finances be blessed
The singer wants the listener's financial situation to be blessed
Everything about you
The singer wants every aspect of the listener's life to be blessed
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: YOLANDA YVETTE ADAMS, JAMES SAMUEL III HARRIS, JAMES HARRIS III, TERRY LEWIS, JAMES WRIGHT, JAMES QUENTON WRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind