Kirk Dewayne Franklin is best known for directing urban contemporary gospel choirs and has received numerous Grammy nominations. His involvement in choirs began at a young age, but in his late teens, he strayed from his devotion to church services, only to return stronger and more famous over time.

Quick Facts

Kirk Franklin Biography

Kirk Dewayne Franklin had a difficult childhood after his mother abandoned him and he was raised by his aunt, Gertrude. But his aunt recognized early on that he had a musical ear, and he began doing menial tasks like recycling aluminum cans to fund his piano lessons before he was five years old. Kirk was already getting offers and contracts for his music by the age of seven, but his aunt insisted on him joining the church choir.

So, at the age of eleven, he took over as music director of the adult choir at Mt. Rose Baptist Church. But with his newfound celebrity came some reckless behavior, and he became a father at the age of fifteen. This incident drove him away from his church commitment and resulted in behavioral changes that led to his expulsion from school. It took a couple of years and the horrific murder of a friend for him to return to church and choir singing.

Kirk Franklin attended Oscar Dean Wyatt High School and studied music with Jewell Kelly and the Singing Chaparrals. Following this formal training, he was appointed as the church choir’s official pianist.

Kirk Franklin Age, Height, Weight

Kirk Franklin was born on January 26, 1970, and is 52 years old as of 2023. His height is 1.66 meters and his weight is 60 kilograms.

Career

Kirk co-founded The Humble Hearts, a gospel group that recorded one of Franklin’s compositions, and drew the attention of gospel music legend Milton Bingham, musical director of the Georgia Mass Choir, who hired him as the lead for the DFW Mass Choir in a recording of Franklin’s song “Every Day with Jesus.” Kirk went on to lead the 1990 Gospel Music Workshop of America Convention.

Franklin formed “The Family,” a seventeen-voice choir made up of neighborhood friends and associates, in 1992. Vicki Mack-Lataillade, the co-founder of fledgling record label GospoCentric, signed Kirk & The Family to a recording contract the same year. The same-named album was released by the group in 1993. Kirk Franklin & the Family Christmas was released in 1995.

Whatcha Lookin’4 was released a year later. Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir recorded Franklin’s song Joy. Unfortunately, God’s Property founder Linda filed a lawsuit against Franklin in the late 1990s. The Nu Nation Project was released in 1998, and it went on to top the Billboard Contemporary Christian Albums chart for 23 weeks and the Billboard Gospel Albums chart for 49 weeks. It also earned Franklin his third Grammy.

Members of The Family, however, filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Franklin and GospoCentric Records in 2000, accusing them of failing to pay royalties for the Nu Nation Project. Soon after, the group disbanded, and Franklin went solo. Franklin composed the score for the film Kingdom Come.

The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin was released in 2002 and spent 29 weeks at the top of the Gospel Albums chart, was No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and was certified Platinum. Back-to-back hits in the 2000s included Looking for You, Imagine Me, the album Hero, and the album The Fight of My Life.

In collaboration with RCA Records, Franklin launched his own record label imprint, Fo Yo Soul Recordings, in 2013. Losing My Religion was released in 2015. The first single from his album Long Live Love, “Love Theory,” was released in January 2019. He is the host of the Sunday Best show, which has returned after a four-year hiatus.

Kirk Franklin Achievements and Awards

Kirk Franklin & The Family spent two years on the Gospel music charts and charted on the R&B charts, eventually earning platinum sales status. It held the top spot on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart for 42 weeks. It was also the first gospel album to sell a million copies. Whatcha Lookin’4 went platinum twice and earned Franklin his first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.

The first single, “Stomp,” featuring Cheryl “Salt” James (of Salt-N-Pepa), stayed at the top of the R&B Singles Airplay chart for two weeks and even made it into the Top 40. Franklin won two Grammy Awards for Hero in December 2006. Hero was also named the Stellar Awards CD of the Year in 2007. In its first week, The Fight of My Life sold 74,000 copies. Franklin has received 12 Grammy Awards, as well as GMA Dove Awards, BET Awards, Soul Train Awards, and Stellar Awards.

Kirk Franklin’s Net Worth in 2023

Kirk Franklin has made money from album releases and stage performances. He has also appeared on a number of shows and even hosts the Sunday Best. His net worth is $10 million as of December 2023. His growing celebrity and recent releases continue to increase his net worth. In Arlington, Texas, he owns a sprawling mansion.

Kirk Franklin’s success demonstrates how, with the right talent and hard work, anyone can rise from rags to riches. Despite his personal problems, he has finally found a genuine relationship with the church and God. He also continues to volunteer for the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association.

Kirk Franklin Husband, Marriage

Kirk Franklin, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, had his first child at the age of fifteen. He had asked his girlfriend to abort the child, but she carried it to term, much to his dismay. In 1988, he had a son. Kirk has never revealed the identity of his girlfriend, preferring to protect her privacy and that of his son, Kerrion.

Franklin later married long-time friend Tammy Collins on January 20, 1996. He admits that Tammy has been a rock in his life, even guiding him through his pornography addiction. Tammy had a daughter at the time of their marriage. Carrington, his daughter, was born in 1989 and is a year younger than Kirk’s biological son. Carrington was later adopted by Kirk.

The couple has two children of their own: Kennedy (born in 1997) and Caziah (born in 2004). (born in 2000). Kirk had an affair even after marriage, but he credits Tammy’s unfailing love and affection for finally giving up everything for family and reconnecting with God.

In 2005, the couple appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Franklin appeared on with his wife to talk about how he overcame his pornography addiction.

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