Donnie McClurkin Biography

Donnie McClurkin is an American gospel singer and minister.

Born and raised in Amityville, New York, McClurkin's family was shattered when his two year old brother was hit and killed by a speeding driver while he played nearby. His family took the death hard. The night of the funeral, McClurkin was molested by his uncle at the age of eight. He was then molested by his cousin, his uncle's son, at the age of thirteen. The family became filled with domestic violence and drug abuse, but McClurkin was saved by an aunt who sang background vocals with gospel musician Andre Crouch. After staying close to Crouch throughout his boyhood, he began to play piano and sing with his church youth choir. He formed the McClurkin Singers by the time he was a teenager, and later formed another group, the New York Restoration Choir.

Hired as an associate minister at Marvin Winans's Perfecting Church in 1989, with his vocals during a seminar, McClurkin endured a bout with leukemia that year. A friendship with a Warner Alliance executive resulted in his signing to the label for his 1996 selftitled LP, with producers Mark Kibble (of Take 6), Cedric and Victor Maxwell plus Andraé Crouch.