Commissioned (gospel group)

Commissioned is an American urban contemporary gospel group from Detroit, Michigan. Members included Fred Hammond, Keith Staten, Karl Reid, Mitchell Jones, Marvin Sapp, Marcus Cole and Montrell Darrett.

Commissioned
OriginDetroit, Michigan, U.S.
GenresGospel, contemporary Christian, contemporary worship, urban gospel
Years active19832006, 2011, 2013, 2017–present
Labels
MembersKeith Staten
Mitchell Jones
Karl Reid
Marcus Cole
Michael Williams
Michael Brooks
Past membersFred Hammond
Marvin Sapp
Maxx Frank
Montrell Darrett
Chris Poole (deceased)
Eddie Howard, Jr.

The group recorded twelve albums over a period of seventeen years, and were nominated for Grammy and Stellar awards.

Group history

The group originates from Detroit, Michigan. The six original members were Fred Hammond, Mitchell Jones, Keith Staten, Karl Reid, Michael Brooks and Michael Williams. The group formed in 1982, two years after Hammond played bass for The Winans. In 1990, Staten and Brooks left the group and were replaced with Marvin Sapp, Maxx Frank and Eddie Howard, Jr. By 1994, Howard had left the group, and Williams left a year later. Hammond also left to pursue a career with the choir Radical For Christ. He was replaced by Montrell Darrett. By 1999, Marcus Cole and Chris Poole had taken the place of Sapp, Frank and Darrett on the group's last studio album.

The R&B group Silk covered the Commissioned ballad "Cry On" on the movie soundtrack for Blankman (1994).

In 2002, Commissioned released a reunion album, which was recorded live at the Straightgate Church in Detroit, Michigan on October 26, 2001. Most of the group's former members reunited, and featured most of its greatest hits.

The group performed live on stage during the 2002 Stellar Awards in Atlanta, Georgia.[1]

In 2011, they were honored at the BMI Awards after the Stellar Awards. Gospel artists sang musical tributes, including: Dawkins & Dawkins, Deitrick Haddon, Marvin Sapp, The Soul Seekers, The Clark Sisters and Men of Standard. The members who were present at the event were Hammond, Staten, Sapp, Jones, Reid, Williams, Frank, Darrett, Cole and Brooks. The group sang "Victory" from their sophomore record, Go Tell Somebody.

Hammond, Brooks, Staten, Sapp, Reid, Jones and Williams performed another reunion concert in 2019. It was hosted by the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Incorporated. The group was invited to perform to celebrate the 104th Summer Convention of the P.A.W. Inc.

Discography

Albums

Release date Album title[2] Label RIAA certification
1985 I'm Going On Light Records
1986 Go Tell Somebody Light Records
1987 On The Winning Side Light Records
1988 Will You Be Ready? Light Records
1989 Ordinary Just Won't Do Light Records
1990 State of Mind Verity Records
1991 Number 7 Benson Records
1994 Matters of the Heart Benson Records
1996 Irreplaceable Love Benson Records
1999 Time and Seasons Verity Records
2002 The Commissioned Reunion Live Verity Records

Compilations

Release date Album title[2] Label RIAA certification
1991 A Collection Light Records
1993 Commissioned Complete Platinum Records
1994 Go Tell Somebody/I'm Going On Light Records
1995 The Light Years CGI Records
1995 Gospel Greats Benson Records
1999 The Best of Commissioned Verity Records
2002 Mega 3 Collection Light Records
2003 Essential BMG Music
2003 Legends of Gospel Compendia Media Group
2006 The Definitive 16 Greatest Hits Intersound Records

Singles

Release date Single title[2] Label RIAA certification
1994 Love is the Way A&M Records

Guest appearances

List of non-single songs with guest appearances by Commissioned
Title[2] Year Album Artist(s)
"Before It Falls Down" 2000 J2K - Jesus 2000 Various
"All Because of You" 2001 With This Ring Various
"What Child is This" 2013 Christmas Card Marvin Sapp
"Honor The King"

Performance videos

Release date Video / DVD title[3][4] Label
1991 In Concert (Live) (VHS) Mercury Video
1998 Matters of the Heart (Video/Live) (VHS) Verity Records
1998 Commissioned: Live in Concert (VHS) Xenon Pictures
1998 Number 7 (VHS) Verity Records
2002 The Commissioned Reunion: Live (video/DVD) Verity Records
2005 The Winans: The Lost Concert (video/DVD) Xenon Pictures

Billboard chart history

Albums

Year Album title Chart name[5] Peak position
1985 Go Tell Somebody / I'm Going On Top Gospel Albums 5
I'm Going On Top Gospel Albums 11
1986 Go Tell Somebody Top Gospel Albums 2
1987 On the Winning Side Top Gospel Albums 6
1988 Top Contemporary Christian 24
1989 Will You Be Ready? Top Contemporary Christian 26
Top Gospel Albums 29
1990 Ordinary Just Won't Do Top Contemporary Christian 28
Top Gospel Albums 4
State of Mind Top Contemporary Christian 19
Top Gospel Albums 4
1991 Number 7 Top Contemporary Christian 22
Top Gospel Albums 7
1994 Matters of the Heart Top Contemporary Christian 13
Top Gospel Albums 13
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 65
1996 Irreplaceable Love Heatseekers 19
Top Contemporary Christian 9
Top Gospel Albums 3
1999 The Best of Commissioned Top Gospel 29
2000 Time and Seasons Heatseekers 28
Top Contemporary Christian 13
Top Gospel Albums 6
2002 The Commissioned Reunion: Live (video/DVD) The Billboard 200 100
Top Contemporary Christian 8
Top Gospel Albums 3

Awards

Nominations

YearAward-giving bodyAward categorySong/album title
1989Grammy AwardsBest Soul Gospel Performance - Duo, Group, Choir or ChorusWill You Be Ready?
1991Grammy AwardsBest Pop Gospel AlbumShakin' the House...Live - Carman & Commissioned (& the Christ Church Choir)
1994Grammy AwardsBest Contemporary Soul Gospel AlbumMatters of the Heart
2001Stellar AwardsContemporary Group/Duo of the YearTime & Seasons
2002Stellar AwardsProducer of the Year (Israel Humphrey)Commissioned Reunion Live
2002Stellar AwardsGroup/Duo of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live
2002Stellar AwardsContemporary Group/Duo of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live
2002Stellar AwardsContemporary CD of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live
2002Stellar AwardsSpecial Event CD of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live
2002Grammy AwardsBest Contemporary Soul Gospel AlbumCommissioned Reunion Live

Members

  • Fred Hammond: lead vocals, background vocals, bass guitar (1982-1994, 2001–2002, 2011, 2013, 2018–2022)
  • Keith Staten: lead vocals, background vocals (1982-1990, 2001–2002, 2011, 2013, 2017–present)
  • Mitchell Jones: lead vocals, background vocals (1982-2002, 2011, 2013, 2017-present)
  • Karl Reid: lead vocals, background vocals (1982-2002, 2011, 2013, 2017-present)
  • Eddie Howard, Jr: keyboards (1990-1994)
  • Marvin Sapp: lead vocals, background vocals (1990-1996, 2001–2002, 2011, 2013, 2018–2023)
  • Michael Williams: drums (1982-1994, 2001–2002, 2011, 2018-present)
  • Marcus Cole: lead vocals, background vocals (1996-2002, 2013, 2017–2019, 2022-present)
  • Michael Brooks: keyboards (1982-1990, 2018–present)
  • Montrell Darrett: lead vocals, background vocals (1995-1996)
  • Chris Poole (1999-2000) (deceased)
  • Maxx Frank: keyboards, B3 organ, mixing (1990-1996)

Footnotes

  1. Cummings, Tony. "17th Annual Stellar Award Winners (2002)". GospelFlava. Retrieved 2007-01-10.
  2. "allmusic Discography". Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  3. "allmusic Filmography". Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  4. "allmovie Filmography". Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  5. "allmusic Charts & Awards". Retrieved 2007-05-31.
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