Fred Hammond(I)

Fred Hammond is a Musician/Singer from Detroit Michigan. Born to Mildred Hammond in 1961, Hammond was one of 3 boys. (His brothers are Ray Hammond Jr. and Dave Hammond.) Having a background in church and music from a young age, Fred's first instrument was drums and eventually progressed to bass and piano. (Bass being his most prominent instrument.) After high school, he joined the U.S. Army along with a close friend of his Mitchell Jones. After they had gotten out of the Army, the two began to get involved in music ministry together. Hammond then auditioned to play bass for the Gospel singing group the Winans and toured with them from 1980 to 1982. Upon returning to Detroit, he and Mitchell Jones, along with 4 other friends (Karl Reid, Fred's Brother-in-Law Keith Staten, Michael Brooks and Michael Williams) formed the Gospel recording group "Commissioned." The group traveled the country doing singing engagements, establishing their fan-base and raising money to record an album. In 1985 under "Light Records", they released their first full album "I'm Going On." The group released 4 more albums under Light Records. (1986 "Go Tell Somebody"/ 1987 "On The Winning Side"/1988 "Will you be Ready?"/1989 "Ordinary just won't do") In 1990 the group moved to "Benson/Verity Records" and recorded their sixth album "State of Mind." This was the last album to be recorded by the group's original line-up as members Keith Staten and Michael Brooks left the group to pursue solo careers. New members Marvin Sapp, Maxx Frank, and Eddie Howard, Jr were welcomed before the group released their seventh album in 1991, which was simply titled "Number 7." This same year, Commissioned recorded an album with recording Artist, Carman called "Shakin' the House: Live." It would be 3 years before the group released another album on their own and it was within those 3 years that more changes occurred within the group. Eddie Howard left the group, leaving the line-up at 6 members. Fred Hammond released two solo albums (1991 "I am Persuaded"/1993 "Deliverance.") Fred was also putting in work towards heading a choir for his solo act which eventually became "Radical for Christ." In 1994 Commissioneed released "Matters of The Heart" which was Fred's final album with Commissioned. After leaving the group, he went solo with Radical for Christ and in 1995 released his 3rd solo album "The Inner Court." Hammond recorded 3 more albums with Radical For Christ.(1997 "Spirit of David"/1998 "Pages of Life: Chapters 1 & 2"/ 2000 "Purpose by Design." In 2001, Hammond established his own record label "fHammond Family Music." Under this label, he released an album titled "In case you missed it" which was comprised of re-recordings of Commissioned, Radical For Christ and Fred Hammond Hits. The same year, he released a solo Christmas album, titled "Christmas...Just Remember" and with his former group members of Commissioned began planning a reunion tour which launched in 2002. Most of the group's original members were present during the tour; only Michael Brooks- the group's original keyboardist was absent. While on tour, Hammond was working on his 6th Solo album "Speak Those Things: Pages Of Life Chapter 3 and also worked on a live recording for the reunion tour. Speak those things was his first solo album without Radical for Christ since 1993. After the reunion ended, he immediately began touring for "Speak Those Things." It would be 3 years before Hammond released another album. During this time, Hammond went through a divorce from his wife of 18 years Kim Hammond. In 2004 Hammond released "Somethin' Bout Love", in 2006 he released "Free To Worship" and in 2009 "Love Unstoppable." In 2010 under "fHammond Family Entertainment, he released an album/DVD "Life in the Word" which featured recording artists from his label singing new original songs and a DVD recording of a web series that he began called "Warehouse Worship." In 2012, he released "God, Love & Romance" which was his first recording to include Love songs. In 2013, Hammond returned the the male group format and joined up with Gospel recording artists Dave Hollister, Brian Courtney Wilson and Eric Roberson to create "United Tenors" and released his 15th album (apart from Commissioned.) With over 31 years of Music Ministry, Hammond is one of the most celebrated Gospel recording Artists in History. Known to many as "The father of Urban Gospel", he has been nominated for countless awards, has won numerous awards including a Grammy, many Stellar and Dove awards and remains very influential in the careers of other singers, producers and musicians. As of 2010, he resided in Texas and attends The Potter's House where Bishop T.D. Jakes is Pastor.