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Music / Religion

Fred Hammond

born 1960 · gospel singer, bassist, producer

Detroit gospel bassist, singer and producer who played bass for the Winans, co-founded Commissioned, and became one of contemporary gospel's best-selling artists.

Born

Detroit, Michigan
age 65
Birth name
Frederick William Hammond
Detroit years
1960–
Field
Music, Religion

01 / The Detroit story

The Detroit story

Hammond grew up in Detroit and first gained notice as bassist for the Winans around 1980. In 1982 he was one of the six original members of Commissioned, the Detroit urban contemporary gospel group with Keith Staten, Mitchell Jones, Karl Reid, Michael Brooks and Michael Williams, and he took part in ten of its twelve albums, bringing R&B, funk and pop grooves into gospel. After leaving Commissioned he formed Radical for Christ and sold millions of albums with praise-and-worship records that mixed R&B, hip-hop and disco styles. He has produced for many gospel artists and has won Grammy, Dove and Stellar awards, with fifteen Grammy nominations. In 2001 he rejoined his former bandmates for Commissioned's reunion concert, recorded live at Straightgate Church in Detroit and released in 2002.

Highlights

  1. Bassist for the Winans (about 1980)
  2. Founding member of Commissioned (1982)
  3. Led Radical for Christ; multi-million-selling albums
  4. Grammy winner with fifteen nominations
  5. Commissioned Reunion Live, recorded in Detroit (2001)

02 / Their Detroit places

Their Detroit places 1

Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.

  1. Performed here · 2001

    Straightgate Church

    Status being checked

    Commissioned's reunion concert was recorded live at this Detroit church on October 26, 2001.

    Source ↗