Commissioned - Biography
BY J Poet
Commissioned was one of the most successful gospel bands of the 90s, known for their soulful performances and evangelistic fervor. All the members of the band also had solo careers, limiting the amount of time they could spend performing as Commissioned, but the six original Commissioned albums were highly influential. They stopped performing together in 2000 but reunited in 2001 for The Commissioned Reunion: Live (2002 Verity) which featured seven of the singers who passed through the ranks of Commissioned: Karl Reid, Mitchell Jones, founder Fred Hammond, Keith Staten, Michael Williams, Marvin Sapp, and Marcus Cole.
The prime mover behind Commissioned was lead singer and evangelist Fred Hammond. He grew up in a religious family and by 17 was playing bass in his church band where he was friends with the members of another singing family, The Winans. Hammond was also a troubled young man and flirted with Detroit’s gang life. After graduating from high school he joined the Army. When he returned home he joined The Winans, who had already turned professional as The Testimonials. He played bass and sang backing vocals with the band until 1984 when he started Commissioned with Mitchell Jones and Karl Reid, later adding Keith Staten, songwriter and keyboard player Michael Brooks and drummer Michael Williams. By blending Gospel, soul, R&B and funk with a positive spiritual message and slick production techniques, the band immediately shot to the forefront of the gospel scene.
I'm Going On (1985 Light) climbed to #11 on the Gospel charts behind hits like the Latin flavored title track and “Giving My Problems To You.” Go Tell Somebody (1986 Light) went to #2 with its smooth contemporary sound. They continued their winning streak with On The Winning Side (1987 Light), which crossed over to the Contemporary Christian Charts, Will You Be Ready? (1985 Light), which featured guests Parkes Stewart, Byron Cage, and Sharon Page and earned a Grammy nomination in the Best Soul Gospel Performance - Duo, Group, Choir or Chorus category for the title track, Ordinary Just Won't Do (1989 Light) a #4 album, and State of Mind (1991 Benson/Verity), another Top 10 entry.
In 1991 Keith Staten and Michael Brooks left and were replaced by a trio of keyboard players and singers - Marvin Sapp, Maxx Frank, and Eddie Howard, Jr. The new players added an urban edge to the music and Number 7 (1991 Benson/A&M) went to #7 on the charts with the hits “King of Glory,” “I Can't Live Without You” and “Please You More.” Commissioned was one of the artists featured on Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration (1992 Word/Warner) a reinvention of the Handel’s classic that included contributions from Stevie Wonder, George Duke, Take 6, and Vanessa Bell Armstrong.
Matters of the Heart (1994 Benson/A&M) was nominated for a Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album Grammy and included Phil Collins’ “Another Day In Paradise,” “You Can Always Come Home” with guest rappers Run-DMC, Dottie Rambo’s “We Shall Behold Him,” and the traditional “Draw Me Nearer.” Irreplaceable Love (1996 Benson) went to #3 and introduced an R&B slant to the music and signaled the departure of Montrell Darrett, Maxx Frank, and Marvin Sapp. Jones and Reid added Marcus Cole and Chris Poole for Time and Seasons (2000 Verity) a smooth 19-track R&B outing that marked the end of the band.
In 2001, seven Commissioned members reunited for a Greatest hits live concert, the two CD The Commissioned Reunion Live! (2002 Verity) which concentrated on songs from their early albums. It earned them another Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, pleasing fans everywhere. The group’s compilations include The Definitive 16 Greatest Hits (2006 Compendia) and Best of Commissioned (1999 Verity).
