# Fred Hammond

Frederick William Hammond (born December 27, 1960) is an American gospel singer, bass guitar player, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most popular figures in contemporary gospel music. He is known for using a variety of different styles in his music such as R&B, hip-hop, and disco.

## Musical career

Hammond has been active both as a member of the gospel performing group Commissioned, and as a solo artist (currently for Verity Records). He is a multiple Grammy, Dove, and Stellar award winner and nominee as a performer, producer, and writer.
Hammond first gained recognition while playing bass guitar for the gospel group The Winans. By 1985, he was one of the six original members of the group Commissioned, participating in 10 of the group's 12 albums.
After his time with Commissioned ended, he regained fame in the gospel community after selling millions of albums with his musical group Radical For Christ.
In 2002, Hammond returned to the group Commissioned (now with members Keith Staten, Marvin Sapp, Mitchell Jones, Karl Reid, Michael Williams, and Marcus Cole) to produce the Commissioned Reunion Live album.
Hammond produced "Make Me Like the Moon", a gospel ballad co-written by Chanté Moore and Kenny Lattimore for their 2006 double-CD of gospel and R&B love songs entitled Uncovered/Covered (released October 10, 2006, by LaFace/Verity/Zomba Music Group). He also performs with Sean Combs on the unreleased album, Thank You.

## Discography
### Albums

| Release date | Album | Label | RIAA certification |
| 1985 | I'm Going On (Commissioned) | Light Records | |
| 1986 | Go Tell Somebody (Commissioned) | Light Records | |
| 1987 | On The Winning Side (Commissioned) | Light Records | |
| 1988 | Will You Be Ready? (Commissioned) | Light Records | |
| 1989 | Ordinary Just Won't Do (Commissioned) | Light Records | |
| 1990 | State of Mind (Commissioned) | Verity Records | |
| 1991 | Number 7 (Commissioned) | A&M Records | |
| 1991 | I Am Persuaded | Verity Records, Benson Records | |
| 1993 | Deliverance | A&M Records | |
| 1994 | Matters of the Heart (Commissioned) | A&M Records | |
| 1995 | The Inner Court (Radical for Christ) | Benson Records | |
| December 1, 1995 | Gospel Greats (Commissioned) | Benson Records | |
| August 20, 1996 | The Spirit of David (Radical for Christ) | Benson Records | Gold - September 19, 2002 (2002-09-19) |
| April 28, 1998 | Pages of Life - Chapters I & II (Radical for Christ) | Verity Records | Gold - September 9, 1998 (1998-09-09) Platinum - April 7, 1999 (1999-04-07) 2× Platinum - October 13, 2006 (2006-10-13) |
| March 21, 2000 | Purpose By Design (Radical for Christ) | Verity Records | Gold - January 19, 2001 (2001-01-19) |
| March 6, 2001 | In Case You Missed It....And Then Some | Verity Records | |
| September 11, 2001 | Christmas...Just Remember | Verity Records | |
| April 23, 2002 | The Commissioned Reunion Live (Commissioned) | Verity Records | |
| September 10, 2002 | Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3 | Verity Records | |
| September 9, 2003 | Hooked on the Hits | Verity Records | |
| June 8, 2004 | Somethin' 'Bout Love | Verity Records | Gold - November 7, 2008 |
| June 13, 2006 | Praise & Worship (Commissioned) | Verity/Legacy | |
| October 3, 2006 | Free to Worship | Verity Records | |
| September 29, 2009 | Love Unstoppable | Verity Gospel Music Group | |
| January 31, 2012 | God, Love & Romance | Verity Gospel Music Group | |
| March 26, 2013 | United Tenors | RCA Records | |
| November 17, 2014 | I Will Trust | RCA Records | |
| September 30, 2016 | Worship Journal Live | Provident Label Group, RCA Records | |
| May 11, 2018 | Uncle Fred - Texture of a Man - Collectors Edition | Provident Label Group, Face To Face Productions | |

### Notable singles

| Release date | Song | Album | Note |
| April 28, 1998 | Let the Praise Begin | Pages of Life: Chapters 1 and 2 | 1998 Dove Award winner for Best Contemporary Gospel Song with Radical for Christ |
| 1998 | Power | The Prince of Egypt Inspirational Soundtrack | a featured song on the soundtrack for the animated motion picture The Prince of Egypt with Radical for Christ |
| April 28, 1998 | Power | Pages of Life: Chapters 1 and 2 | 1999 Dove Award winner for Best Contemporary Gospel Song with Radical for Christ |
| 2001 | King of Glory | | 2001 Stellar Awards nominee for Song of the Year |
| | All Things Are Working | The Gospel Soundtrack | a featured song on the soundtrack for the motion picture The Gospel |
| 2004 | Celebrate (He Lives) | | 2004 Grammy Awards nominee for Best Gospel Performance with Noel Hall and Darryl Dixon |
| 2005 | Celebrate (He Lives) | | 2005 Stellar Awards nominee for Song of the Year with Noel Hall and Darryl Dixon |
| 2007 | Better Than That, with The Singletons | | 2007 Stellar Awards nominee for Song of the Year |
| 2003 | We Have Not Forgotten | Soulful | a duet performed on Ruben Studdard's debut album Soulful |
| November 22, 2005 | By Faith - with Sean Combs | Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now | |

### Billboard chart history
#### Albums

| Year | Album | Chart | Peak |
| 1994 | Matters of the Heart - (Commissioned) | Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 65 |
| 2002 | Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3 | Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 29 |
| 2002 | Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3 | Billboard 200 | 38 |
| 2004 | Somethin' 'Bout Love | Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 4 |
| 2004 | Somethin' 'Bout Love | Billboard 200 | 35 |
| 2006 | Free to Worship | Billboard 200 | 29 |
| 2009 | Love Unstoppable | Billboard 200 | 25 |
| 2009 | Love Unstoppable | Top Gospel Albums | 1 |
| 2012 | God, Love & Romance | Billboard 200 | 8 |
| 2012 | God, Love & Romance | Top Gospel Albums | 1 |
| 2013 | United Tenors | Billboard 200 | 39 |
| 2013 | United Tenors | Top Gospel Albums | 1 |

### Awards
#### Award wins

| Year | Award-giving body | Award category | Song /Album title |
| 1992 | Dove Awards | Inspirational Album | Generation to Generation (with Larnelle Harris, Matthew Ward, Glad, 4Him, Dallas Holm, Kelly Nelon Thompson, Billy & Sarah Gaines, and Dana Key) |
| 1992 | Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Album | Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration (with Mervyn Warren, George Duke, David Pack, Patti Austin, Take 6, Gary Hines, Robert Sadin, Richard Smallwood, and The Yellowjackets) |
| 1998 | Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Song | Let the Praise Begin (with Radical for Christ) |
| 1999 | Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Song | Power (with Radical For Christ) |
| 2000 | Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Album | Purpose By Design (with Radical for Christ) |
| 2001 | Stellar Awards | Male Vocalist of the Year | Purpose by Design |
| 2001 | Stellar Awards | Producer of the Year | Purpose by Design (with Radical For Christ) |
| 2001 | Stellar Awards | Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | Purpose By Design (with Radical For Christ) |
| 2001 | Dove Awards | Urban Album | Just Remember Christmas |
| 2005 | Stellar Awards | Producer of the Year | Somethin' 'Bout Love |
| 2008 | Grammy Awards | Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album | Free To Worship |

#### Award nominations

| Year | Award-giving body | Award category | Song /Album title |
| 1989 | Grammy Awards | Best Soul Gospel Performance - Duo, Group, Choir or Chorus | Will You Be Ready? (Commissioned) |
| 1991 | Grammy Awards | Best Pop Gospel Album | Shakin' the House...Live - Carman & Commissioned (& the Christ Church Choir) (Commissioned) |
| 1992 | Dove Awards | Inspirational Album (Winner) | Generation to Generation (with Larnelle Harris, Matthew Ward, Glad, 4Him, Dallas Holm, Kelly Nelon Thompson, Billy & Sarah Gaines, and Dana Key) |
| 1992 | Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Album (Winner) | Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration (with Mervyn Warren, George Duke, David Pack, Patti Austin, Take 6, Gary Hines, Robert Sadin, Richard Smallwood, and The Yellowjackets,) |
| 1994 | Grammy Awards | Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | Matters of the Heart (Commissioned) |
| 1996 | Grammy Awards | Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | Shakin' the House (with Hezekiah Walker and Yolanda Adams) |
| 1998 | Grammy Awards | Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | Pages of Life: Chapters 1 and 2 (with Radical for Christ) |
| 1998 | Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Song (Winner) | Let the Praise Begin (with Radical for Christ) |
| 1999 | Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Song (Winner) | Power (with Radical For Christ) |
| 2000 | Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Album (Winner) | Purpose By Design (with Radical for Christ) |
| 2000 | Soul Train Awards | Best Gospel Album | Pages of Life Chapter 1 and 2 |
| 2001 | Grammy Awards | Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | In Case You Missed It...And Then Some |
| 2001 | Stellar Awards | Male Vocalist of the Year (Winner) | Purpose by Design |
| 2001 | Stellar Awards | Choir of the Year | Purpose by Design (with Radical For Christ) |
| 2001 | Stellar Awards | Producer of the Year (Winner) | Purpose by Design (with Radical For Christ) |
| 2001 | Stellar Awards | Producer of the Year | Mountain High...Valley Low (with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Jarren Campbell, Richard Smallwood and Kevin Bond) |
| 2001 | Stellar Awards | Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year | Purpose By Design (with Radical For Christ) |
| 2001 | Stellar Awards | CD of the Year | Purpose By Design (with Radical For Christ) |
| 2001 | Stellar Awards | Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year (Winner) | Purpose By Design (with Radical For Christ) |
| 2001 | Stellar Awards | Contemporary Choir of the Year | Purpose By Design (with Radical For Christ) |
| 2001 | Dove Awards | Urban Album (Winner) | Just Remember...Christmas |
| 2002 | Stellar Awards | Song of the Year | King of Glory |
| 2002 | Grammy Awards | Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3 |
| 2002 | Stellar Awards | Producer of the Year | Commissioned Reunion Live |
| 2002 | Stellar Awards | Group/Duo of the Year | Commissioned Reunion Live (Commissioned) |
| 2002 | Stellar Awards | Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year | Commissioned Reunion Live (Commissioned) |
| 2002 | Stellar Awards | Contemporary CD of the Year | Commissioned Reunion Live (Commissioned) |
| 2002 | Stellar Awards | Special Event CD of the Year | Commissioned Reunion Live (Commissioned) |
| 2002 | Grammy Awards | Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | Commissioned Reunion Live (Commissioned) |
| 2002 | Stellar Awards | Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | Fred Hammond Christmas...Just Remember |
| 2003 | Stellar Awards | Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3 |
| 2004 | Grammy Awards | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | Somethin' Bout Love |
| 2004 | Grammy Awards | Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year | Celebrate (He Lives) (with Noel Hall and Darryl Dixon) |
| 2004 | Grammy Awards | Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album | Somethin' 'bout Love |
| 2004 | Grammy Awards | Best Gospel Performance | Celebrate (He Lives) |
| 2005 | Stellar Awards | Artist of the Year | Somethin' 'Bout Love |
| 2005 | Stellar Awards | Song of the Year | Celebrate (He Lives) (with Noel Hall and Darryl Dixon) |
| 2005 | Stellar Awards | Producer of the Year (Winner) | Somethin' 'Bout Love |
| 2005 | Stellar Awards | CD of the Year | Somethin' 'Bout Love |
| 2005 | Stellar Awards | Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year | Somethin' 'Bout Love |
| 2005 | Stellar Awards | Contemporary CD of the Year | Somethin' 'Bout Love |
| 2007 | Stellar Awards | Producer of the Year | Better Than That (The Singletons) |
| 2008 | Grammy Awards | Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album (Winner) | Free To Worship |

## Personal life

Hammond has two children who have appeared on his 2009 album, Love Unstoppable. Hammond divorced his wife of 18 years, Kim, in 2004, and he currently resides in Cedar Hill, Texas.
Hammond revealed on the Donnie McClurkin Show that his mother confessed to him three months before she died that she tried to get an abortion when she was pregnant with him, and the procedure, done in 1960, before abortions were legal, failed. Hammond's mother returned for a second attempt but decided against the procedure; Hammond was later born in December 1960.
According to Fred Hammond in an interview with Tim Ross, his father is Bishop Charles Watkins (now deceased), a former gospel artist and a former full bishop in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. (Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana)
One of Hammond's nephews is guard Emmanuel Mudiay.