R.I.P Rev Timothy Wright

This is one of my favorite gospel singers... I remember listening to him when i was younger.. Gospel music just lost one of its finests.

NEW YORK - The Rev. Timothy Wright, the Grammy-nominated gospel singer and composer known for his up-tempo praise songs and powerful mass choir sound, has died. He was 61.

Wright, who was seriously injured in a car crash that killed his wife and grandson, died early Thursday at the Bronx Veterans Hospital, music agent Will Bogle said.

Timothy Wright was the pastor at Grace Tabernacle Christian Center Church of God in Christ, located in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn. He released more than a dozen gospel recordings, writing many of the songs. His latest album, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus," came out in 2007.

I***** his record "Come Thou Almighty King," with the New York Fellowship Mass Choir, made the Billboard Top 20 charts for gospel albums and was nominated for a Grammy for best traditional soul gospel album.

He got another nomination in that category in 1999 for "Been There Done That," recorded with the B/J Mass Choir and featuring Myrna Summers.

"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" features the New York Fellowship Mass Choir. The title track, written by Wright and his wife and recorded live at a Church of God in Christ convocation, expresses the plight of a woman displaced during Hurricane Katrina: She encourages herself and others by calling the name of Jesus. Among the other songs on the album was "You Must Come In At the Door."

According to the book "Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Encyclopedia," by Bil Carpenter, the Brooklyn-born Wright began playing piano for his local church at age 12 and also began composing at a young age.

By his early 20s, he was music director at Brooklyn's Washington Temple Church of God in Christ.

He began writing songs for such fellow musicians as Mattie Moss Clark and the Rev. Isaac Douglas, according to Carpenter's book, and in 1976 formed the Timothy Wright Concert Choir. Among the choir's albums were "Who's on the Lord's Side?" and "Do You Know the Light?"

Wright was critically injured July 4 in a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 80 near Loganton, Pa. Another car was going the wrong way when it struck Wright's car.

His wife, Betty Wright, 58, was killed in the crash, and their 14-year-old grandson, D.J. Wright, died later at a hospital.

The driver of the wrong-way car, John Pick, also was killed, while a passenger in a third car was injured.

The Wrights were returning from a Church of God in Christ conference in Detroit, said Leroy Johnson, a trustee at Grace Tabernacle.

Wow...I am so sad to hear of Dr. Wright's death - this was such a sad story...Praying for his sons...and surviving family, as well as the church congregation.

God's got a way..that you can't go over...
God's got a way, that you can't go under...
God's got a way, that you can't go around...
YOU MUST COME IN AT THE DOOR!

And that he did - he followed His Savior...through the door of Eternity!

DD

GOD Bless his family!

This is really really sad.  I have like most of his songs on my ipod!  I am just saddened at the fact that 4 people died at the hands of 1 wrong way driver.  He must have been worst off than we where told.  A friend of mine who has a cousin at his church in Brooklyn said he never fully recovered anyway and that he was in a coma.  I was never told that in the media.  They (the media) tell us everything else!  When I really want to know something, I just can't get the information.  His church members/choir members must be devastated.  But I guess they knew this was the inevitable.  I feel really bad for his family.  But we all know that GOD will see them through...

Kim

Wow how sad.  My prayers go to his surviving family and fans.

RIP...Well loved gospel artist!

Oh NO! My prayers are with his family and friends. This is so sad

It is very sad but at the same time, I know that this was a GREAT man of God and he is leading the choir in heaven!!!  He will be missed.  God bless his family..