Remembering Richard Smallwood: A Howard Legacy and a Gospel Giant

By Chad Eric Smith, Director of Marketing and Communications, Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts

The Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts mourns the passing of Richard Smallwood, the legendary gospel composer, pianist, and singer whose music reshaped the sound and spirit of sacred song for generations. Smallwood passed away on December 30 at the age of 77, leaving behind a body of work that continues to uplift churches, concert halls, and communities around the world.

A proud Washingtonian and a product of Howard University, Smallwood’s artistic foundation was forged on our campus. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Howard in 1971, graduating cum laude, and later returned to complete a Master of Divinity in 2004. His classical training in piano, voice, and musicology deeply informed his compositional voice. While at the University, he studied alongside fellow music luminaries and helped shape Howard’s earliest gospel ensembles, going on to become a founding member of the Howard University Gospel Choir. That blend of rigorous musicianship and spiritual expression would become his signature.

 

“Richard Smallwood’s influence is enormous,” said Carroll V. Dashiell, Jr., Chair of Howard University’s Department of Music, Howard University classmate, and McKinley Tech High School class member. “His anointed gift and genius of combining gospel and classical elements of music is unparalleled. He has always paid homage to our African American traditions with the incorporation of detailed concepts, tracing our history from the Field Holler, through the African American Spiritual, to traditional and contemporary gospel composition and song.”

“Anointed and truly blessed, Dr. Richard Smallwood continues to minister to us all globally, from every church and pew, no matter the denomination, every classroom, all ages, and every walk of society,” Chair Dashiell added.

Smallwood rose to national prominence in the 1980s and 1990s with music that bridged classical form, Black church tradition, and contemporary gospel. His compositions, including the enduring anthem “Total Praise” and “I Love the Lord,” became modern standards, embraced by church choirs and later introduced to wider audiences through artists such as Whitney Houston, including her performance of “I Love the Lord” in The Preacher’s Wife. His work earned multiple Grammy nominations, Stellar and Dove Awards, induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and national recognition that included the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

What set Smallwood apart was not only technical brilliance, but emotional honesty. His music made room for sorrow as well as celebration, offering what he once described as both “mountaintop praise” and “valley praise.” That depth resonated across faiths and cultures, allowing his songs to live far beyond any single sanctuary.

"‘Total Praise’ was one of the first songs I learned to play on the organ,” said Chris Moore III, a CABCoFA Music Performance major with a minor in Political Science on the pre-law track. “At that time, I didn’t realize that its composer, Richard Smallwood, was a true musical genius. His ability to blend classical foundations with gospel sounds reshaped the genre and inspired generations, including myself, to create boldly. His legacy is both timeless and transformative.”

At CABCoFA, we honor Richard Smallwood not only as a global gospel icon, but as a Howard-trained artist whose legacy affirms the power of disciplined study, cultural grounding, and spiritual purpose. In April 2024, the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, in partnership with the School of Divinity, honored Smallwood with Howard University’s Lifetime Achievement Award, offering the University an opportunity to celebrate his extraordinary impact while he was still with us.

May his songs continue to last, just as he prayed they would.

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A Celebration of Life honoring Richard Smallwood will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at The First Baptist Church of Glenarden International in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m., with services beginning at 12 noon. Family, friends, former collaborators, students, and admirers from across generations will gather in gratitude for a life devoted to faith, music, and service.