U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock paid tribute to gospel icon Richard Smallwood with a public ceremony that blended faith, music, and history on Capitol Hill.
On January 14, Warnock joined Senator Tim Scott alongside the Howard University Gospel Choir and the Metropolitan Baptist Church Choir to honor Smallwood’s life and work.
The moment culminated with a collective performance of Smallwood’s signature composition, “Total Praise,” following the introduction of a bipartisan Senate resolution recognizing his contributions.
Speaking ahead of the performance, Warnock reflected on Smallwood’s roots and reach, noting his deep ties to Howard University and Metropolitan Baptist Church. “Richard Smallwood was a proud Howard graduate,” Warnock said, calling the institution “the Mecca,” and highlighting Smallwood’s longstanding humility and devotion as a worshipper rather than a figure seeking recognition.
Warnock also described Smallwood as “a son of the Black church,” characterizing him as “a musical genius, and a giant of the gospel music world,” noting that his compositions carried listeners through hardship with what he described as elegance and restraint. He also noted that Smallwood’s music often outlasted sermons in memory.
The tribute came just weeks after Smallwood’s death at age 77 from complications related to kidney failure. Born in Atlanta in 1948 and raised in Washington, D.C., Smallwood began playing piano at age five and formed his first gospel group while still a child.
After earning a music degree from Howard University, he founded the Richard Smallwood Singers in the late 1970s, later transitioning to the choir Vision in the 1990s. Across his career, he earned eight Grammy nominations and multiple Dove and Stellar Awards.
Smallwood’s influence extended far beyond traditional gospel audiences. Whitney Houston recorded his song “I Love the Lord” for The Preacher’s Wife soundtrack, while Destiny’s Child incorporated “Total Praise” into their 2007 a cappella “Gospel Medley,” introducing his work to a global pop audience.
