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| Rance Allen 25th Annual Stellar Awards. Photo by Mona Austin. |
By Mona Austin
One of the most distinguished vocalists in gospel music, Bishop Rance Allen died on Oct. 31. He was 71.
Per a joint statement from his wife Ellen and manager Toby Jackson: “While recovering from a medical procedure at Heartland ProMedica [in Sylvania, OH], Bishop Rance Allen passed away around 3 AM this morning.”
“I wasn’t expecting to hear this news this morning,” said Tyscot Records President, Bryant Scott, who was nearly speechless upon hearing of the singer’s death. “This is a great loss to us personally but also to the church community at large.”
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| Photo by Mona Austin |
Allen formed the Rance Allen Group with his brothers Tom and Steve (sometimes accompanied by their brother Esau, a percussionist) in the 1970s. A multi-gifted singer and musician, as the leading man he doused R&B songs with gospel feeling, synchronizing contemporary stlye with classic soul. Discovered at a talent show, the Allen boys were signed to Stax records initially. They recorded “Just My Salvation,” to an upbeat tune of the Temptations' “Just My Imagination.” "I Belong To You" became a top 30 R&B hit. They recorded the gospel hit "Miracle Worker" in 1991 Mr. Allen said in the intro to a video on Youtube, but they wrote it in 1973.
The Allens were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998 and won several Stellar Gospel music Awards. As a soloist, Rance Allen was nominated for a Grammy in 2009 for best gospel performance. He was a guest on Snoop Dogg's highly acclaimed gospel project for which he won a BET Award for "Blessing Me" for Best Gospel Song. In 2015, he sang at the White House for President Barack Obama and FirstLlady Michelle Obama in a Black Music Month program.
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| The Rance Allen Group. Photo by Drew Thomas |
Known as much for his signature white pampadour hairstyle as for his emotive vocal acrobatics, the stage was always converted into a pulpit when Bishop Allen performed. Perhaps his most well-known for his colaboration with Kirk Franklin on "Something About the Name Jesus."
Tyscot Records label mate Deitrick Haddon who called Allen a mentor expressed his sadness over the loss in an Instagram Post saying, "My heart is crushed into pieces but I yield to the will of God. You were the master teacher because you were the standard on stage and off stage!.☝🏾 You taught us how to be extraordinary with our gifts but meek and humble in our hearts.😭 The gospel music industry literally just lost the greatest EVER! "
Born in Monroe, MI to a family of 12 Allen was a long-time resident of Ohio. where he served as a pastor at the New Bethel Church of God in Christ in Toledo that he founded. He was promoted to Bishop in 2011, having preached since he was a child.
"Bishop Allen's unique vocal ministry was an indispensable sound within the Church of God in Christ and Christendom. His gift transcended the boundaries of musical genre as he remained a sought after personality called to perform on global venues," Bishop Robert G. Rudolph Jr. of COGIC said in a statement.
Allen and hs wife of over 40 years had no children. He had struggled with obesity throughout his life. Due to the Coronavirus he will have a private funeral service.