Sister Lucille Pope (January 12, 1936 – September 26, 2019) was an American

gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...

ian, and leader of The Pearly Gates. Her first album, ''Nancey Jackson'', was released by Savoy Records in 1991. She released music as singles throughout the 1960s and 1970s, yet no albums were recorded. Her albums came out in the 1990s with Atlanta International Records, with ''The Great Reunion'', being their only release to chart on the ''Billboard'' magazine Gospel Albums chart.

Early life

Sister Lucille Pope was born on January 12, 1936, in Concord, Georgia as Lucille Hall, where she was the youngest child in the family of eight siblings. The Pearly Gates were formed in the 1960s by her and two of her brothers and a brother-in-law. The first iteration included her husband, Willie Pope, yet he died before they joined

Nashboro Records Nashboro Records was an American gospel label principally active in the 1950s and 1960s. History Nashboro was founded in Nashville, Tennessee by Ernie Lafayette Young (1892-1977), who was the owner of a record store, Ernie's Record Mart, and spons ...

in 1975, so her second husband, Louis Alexander, became part of the group.

Music career

Their first recording was distributed locally in 1964, "Almighty God" with Lucille Pope as the lead singer, and a second single, "Early One Morning" with Larry Bivins in the leading role. This would get national exposure, when Vee-Jay Records put the songs out nationally. They would release a single with

Chess Records Chess Records was an American record company established in 1950 in Chicago, specializing in blues and rhythm and blues. It was the successor to Aristocrat Records, founded in 1947. It expanded into soul music, gospel music, early rock and roll ...

in 1965, "Jesus Tore My Heart to Pieces", which was successful at radio. Nashboro Records would sign them in 1975, and release "Somebody's Gone", which was a ballad, yet the label would shortly be defunct. So, they picked up the pieces and joined Atlanta International Records in 1982. This would be the label that would release six albums from the group, with one of them charting, ''The Great Reunion'', which was released on May 22, 1990. The album placed at No. 24 on the ''Billboard'' magazine Gospel Albums chart.

Discography

References

External links

''Cross Rhythms'' artist profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pope, Lucille 1936 births Living people African-American songwriters African-American Christians Musicians from Georgia (U.S. state) Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American musicians