"They gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the Will of God, to us...." (2 Corinthians 8:5)

Rev. Milton Biggham

Upcoming Local Events Featuring Rev. Milton Biggham  

This visionary is credited with the discovery of Kirk Franklin and Donnie McClurkin.  Biggham produced Franklin’s first hit “Joy” with the Georgia Mass Choir and McClurkin debut smash “Speak To My Heart” with the New York Restoration Choir.  As co-founder of the New Jersey Mass Choir, the Florida Mass Choir and the DFW Mass Choir, Biggham jump-started gospels thriving choir music scene in the 80’s.  In 1983, he founded the award winning 100 voices Georgia Mass Choir with whom he scored a handful of Grammy nominations.  In 1996, the Georgia Mass Choir was brought to the attention of distinguished Hollywood producer, Penny Marshall resulting in a featured role in the Touchstone film, “The Preacher’s Wife” starring Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston, for which Biggham also serve d as Gospel Music Director.

As a powerhouse vocalist, Biggham enjoyed his biggest success on the charts on several collaborations with Rev. Clay Evans, including gospel standards, “I’m Blessed” and “What He’s Done For Me”, while earning two Grammies as the producer of two classic works from the late Rev. James Cleveland – “Having Church” and Lord Let Me Be An Instrument.”

For his work in traditional gospel, this Vietnam veteran who has more than 350 compositions to his credit including “What He’s Done For Me”, “Prayer Will Fix It Every Time”,  “The Storm Is Over”, “Call Him Up”, “All In His Hands”, “I’m Blessed”, “Come On In The Room” and “The Lord Keeps Blessing Me” has become one of the most sought after producer on the gospel music scene.

Biggham’s ascension on the gospel music scene is hardly by chance.  The Barwick, Georgia native came by his talents honestly.  His mother, a professional gospel singer, traveled with the likes of the Roberta Martin Singers before settling as a preacher’s wife in Lamesa, Texas and turning her full attention to her young son.

“I had started playing piano by ear at 12 and I wasn’t aware that my mother knew I could play,” Biggham recalls.  “Then one Sunday I was sitting in the back of the church with my friends when the piano player didn’t show up.  My mother approached me and made me come up front and play.

It was in that instant that Biggham’s gospel journey begun.  Biggham’s mother was so impressed with his vocal and musical abilities, that for the next five years, the two took part in a family group, the Sykes Gospel Singers traveling all over West Texas.

Biggham’s first professional break came in 1974 with the recording of a group he’d formed called the New Redemptive Ensemble, with whom he landed an album on Savoy Records.  The project caught the attention of Savoy executive, Fred Mendelsohn who gave Biggham the opportunity to prove himself as a producer on a couple of independent projects by other Savoy artists.

In 1975, while on a visit to Savoy Records in New York City, Biggham was offered a job at Savoy.  He accepted and became the label’s first Director of Promotions.  Just two years later, he was promoted to Director of A&R and worked greats as the Rev. James Cleveland.  For the last ten years of his life, Cleveland worked almost exclusively with Biggham as the produced some of gospel music’s most popular releases “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired” and “Live at Carnegie Hall”, subsequently going on to head the label in the late 1980’s.  For the past two decades, Biggham has remained a juggernaut in the gospel industry.

His latest efforts included producing the first gospel album by famed singer and performer Lou Rawls.  Biggham also travels extensively, performing and conducting gospel music workshops throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Rev. Biggham serves as Pastor of Newark, New Jersey based Mt. Vernon Baptist Church only underscores his dedication to spreading the good news of Jesus Christ through word and song.

To that end, Biggham states, “I have known nothing except gospel music all my life.  It is God’s gift to me and my gift to the world.”