Music

BIO

When Pastor Beverly Crawford was singing in her father’s tent revivals as a child with her siblings, The Camps Sisters, she never imagined that she was in training for a life that would be spent traveling the world proclaiming the Gospel.

Crawford, a Gainesville native born to the late Bishop Walter and Nellie Mae Camps, brought what the Chicago Tribune described as “raw fire…hot-stepping, in-the-spirit shouting” to national television for eight years on Bobby Jones Gospel as part of his New Life ensemble, which delivered Gospel music into millions of homes weekly on Black Entertainment Television (BET). Dr. Jones, who’d discovered her when she and her sisters first performed on his show, gave her the opportunity to learn from Gospel music’s pioneers like the late Albertina Walker and Pastor Shirley Caesar.

She signed with Warner Brothers Records as a solo artist in 1994 and released her first solo album, Jesus Precious King, which Ebony Magazine wrote was “an invigorating performance of emotionally rich and spiritually powerful gospel music.” Her sophomore release, Now That I’m Here, earned a Grammy nomination and led to subsequent recording contracts with Bishop T.D. Jakes’ Dexterity Sounds (EMI Records) and JDI Records, resulting in Dove nominations and multiple Stellar Awards. She has recorded with Kirk Franklin, Earnest Pugh, the Mississippi Mass Choir, Shirley Murdock, Ricky Dillard and many others.

Alongside her music ministry, she has been evangelizing for over 30 years, ministering internationally. Beverly Crawford Ministries is administered by her and her husband of 37 years, Pastor Todd, who also serves as her manager. Together, they have ministered in prisons, served the homeless and fed the hungry. She coordinates an annual conference for girls, “Purpose Princess,” to empower other young ladies to share their testimonies as she has shared hers. Beverly Crawford Ministries also hosts an annual women’s conference, “Calling All Women 911,” which has blessed women from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

The Crawfords are the proud parents of two children, Latrina Crawford-Taylor and Todd Junior. Latrina and her husband, Glenn, both serve faithfully at Landmark Holy Temple of God, the church Pastor Beverly and Pastor Todd began co-pastoring in 2019. Latrina is a musician, worship leader, and minister, and Glenn is a deacon and sound technician. Todd Jr. serves in the music department as a singer and lead guitar player.

She and Todd are currently planning Beverly’s first live recording since 2014’s Thank You For All You’ve Done, which will expand on her commitment to keeping gospel’s traditional sound relevant for and important to the next generation.

bio