Karen Clark Sheard (born Karen Valencia Clark) is an American gospel singer… Read Full Bio ↴Karen Clark Sheard (born Karen Valencia Clark) is an American gospel singer, member of seminal group The Clark Sisters, and mother of contemporary gospel singer Kierra "Kiki" Sheard.

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)

Show Me Your Glory
Karen Clark Sheard Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Chorus:]
Show me Your glory.
Show me Your glory.
I want to gaze into the beauty of Your holiness.
So show me Your glory, I'm desperate to see,
I will be still as You reveal Your glory.

[Verse:]

I am drawing near to worship You,
There's a longing in my heart to be with You.
Call my name and I will answer You,
In humble truth, Lord, here I am.

Hide me in Your hand and show me Your glory,
I'm desperate to see, and I will be still as You reveal,
I will be still as You reveal,
I will be still as You reveal Your glory.

[Vamp:]
Your glory

Overall Meaning

is everything that I need,
Only Your presence can satisfy me.
I will wait and I will be still,
Until I see Your glory revealed.

Karen Clark Sheard's song "Show Me Your Glory" is a passionate expression of the singer's longing to be in the presence of God and to experience His holiness. In the chorus, she pleads for God to reveal His glory to her, so she can bask in its beauty. The verse describes her desire to draw near to God in worship, and her willingness to be still and humble as He reveals Himself to her. The vamp reinforces the idea that nothing else can satisfy her except for God's presence, and she is willing to wait patiently until she sees His glory revealed to her.

Line by Line Meaning

Show me Your glory.
The singer is requesting to see and experience God's glory.

Show me Your glory.
The singer repeats the request for God to show His glory, emphasizing the importance and urgency of this request.

I want to gaze into the beauty of Your holiness.
The singer desires to behold and appreciate the splendor and sanctity of God's character.

So show me Your glory, I'm desperate to see.
The artist reiterates their desperation to witness God's glory.

I will be still as You reveal Your glory.
The artist pledges to be quiet, attentive, and reverent as God displays His glory.

I am drawing near to worship You.
The singer approaches God with the intention of worshipping Him.

There's a longing in my heart to be with You.
The singer has a strong desire to be in God's presence.

Call my name and I will answer You.
The artist is willing and ready to respond to God's call.

In humble truth, Lord, here I am.
The artist acknowledges their humility before God and declares their presence and availability to Him.

Hide me in Your hand and show me Your glory.
The artist asks God to protect and shelter them while showing His glory.

I'm desperate to see, and I will be still as You reveal.
The singer reiterates their intense eagerness to witness God's glory and their commitment to remain quiet and attentive.

I will be still as You reveal.
The artist repeats their promise to be still and attentive while God displays His glory.

I will be still as You reveal Your glory.
The singer repeats their pledge to remain calm and focused as they witness the display of God's glory.

Contributed by Kennedy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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