An Exclusive Interview by Myesha Hossain
“Your music has to have a message, and when it has a message,
it will draw the people, and when it draws the people,
then the Lord can deal with the hearts of the people
as they listen to the music.”
-Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, late mother of the Clark Sisters
Jackie begins this interview by touching upon wanting to have been a doctor before the birth of The Clark Sisters as a music group. However, given the modest financial circumstances her parents were in, it became a dream deferred. However, Jackie studied to be a nurse, an occupation she still practices today. Being the eldest sister, Jackie always wanted to set a good example for the rest of her sisters, to be a source of support, and to be sufficient enough to take upon many different responsibilities. A major reason The Clark Sisters continue to release music in 2020 is because of their cooperation with each other. “We don’t have rivalry among us, a lot of people have that because someone wants to be more important than the other, that’s not a mechanism we have in our family,” Jackie elaborates. The Return, The Clark Sisters most recent work, has been the execution of making the decision of doing what is best. The sisters worked hard to make the album what it is today, a collaboration necessary for its success. It is not easy to get four settled ladies together at one time, and if they do, it is necessary for them to be present, without ruminating on other tasks and projects.
The Clark Sisters have had opportunities to work with several other contemporary music artists, including Snoop Dogg, who is featured on their latest album. Jackie also recalled the time Jermaine Dupri called them after their meeting at Tyler Perry’s opening studios to collaborate with the sisters. They are grateful for the opportunity to work with hard-working and loving musicians to create work that touches their audience. By influencing so many modern day artists, including but not limited to Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, Missy Elliott, The Clark Sisters have been able to bring gospel music to the youth. “A lot of the millennials think our music is new stuff, even though many of the songs are so old. Our music is still relevant today and people appreciate our music because it adds new flavor. We want to spread the gospel to the new generation,” Jackie explains. It has been humbling to them that so many people out there choose their music to listen to and be inspired by.
The sisters’ hard work does not go unrecognized. They received the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award at the 35th Annual Stellar Gospel Awards earlier in 2020. From music to movies, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel is a movie about the family. “It’s an honor to have someone write your life story when you don’t even think your life is important but to somebody, they think it was important enough to write a movie, we are honored, grateful, and graciously humbled,” Jackie said. “We are everyday people, with humble beginnings, we grew up very poor but were not held back by early poverty. We continued to let God be the shaping force of our lives with the help of our parents who were pastors,” she explains. When asked what Jackie would like the audience to take away from their life story, the songstress exclaimed, "We want people to be inspired by our family's modest beginnings, using it as a stepping stone to carve out their own success."
Their music continues to serve as a message, a positive one that will encourage people. She is thankful to have an opportunity to be a part of this production because she did not have to be chosen. Jackie also appreciates her family for all the hard work they have done together for this project and this movie -- hoping this is a blessing to the people. The Clark Sisters legacy continues!
Purchase their new album from Amazon today.