They are the best-selling female gospel group in history — five sisters from Detroit who took the church sound to the world. The Clark Sisters’ story is inseparable from Jacky Clark Chisholm’s, and understanding the group explains so much of who she is.
Dr. Mattie Moss Clark’s living room
Everything began with Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, the formidable choir director who drilled her daughters in harmony, precision, and anointing. What emerged was a group whose arrangements were decades ahead of their time — intricate, jazzy, and utterly electrifying.
The songs that changed gospel
“You Brought the Sunshine” became a crossover phenomenon in 1981, played in clubs and churches alike. “Is My Living in Vain,” “Blessed & Highly Favored,” and “Hallelujah” followed — each one cementing the sisters’ place in the canon of American music.
Jacky’s role in the sound
As the eldest sister, Jacky was both anchor and architect — a songwriter, arranger, and steadying presence through the group’s triumphs and trials. Her warmth on and off stage earned her the nickname “Sweetie,” but her musicianship was anything but soft.
The legacy continues
With a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and generations of artists citing them as inspiration, The Clark Sisters’ influence shows no sign of fading — and neither does Jacky’s.