Kirk Franklin

Born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1970 to a single mother who abandoned him, Franklin was raised by a great aunt who sold scrap aluminum to recycling centers to send her nephew to piano lessons. Quickly taking up the instrument, Franklin led an adult gospel choir at the age of 11. After the shooting death of one of his friends, Franklin dedicated his himself to music, since releasing fourteen albums of forward thinking gospel with groups including the Kirk Franklin and The Family and Kirk Franklin’s Nu Nation. Franklin is an integral figure of the modern gospel scene and the host of television shows Sunday Best and The American Bible Challenge.