Although he is still a young man, Fred Hammond already could be called the "Godfather of Contemporary Gospel." Not only is he among the most popular creators and performers in the field--and a multi-instrumentalist--but he is one of the driving forces in a wave of innovative sounds in gospel music. This new category, which is called urban contemporary, braids multiple musical idioms--traditional gospel, hiphop, rhythm and blues, and jazz--into a sound that appeals to generations raised in a rap-saturated world. This fusion of gospel with mainstream styles has resulted in a dramatic upswing in sales and exposure for gospel music.
Through successive phases of his career, Hammond has always applied his musical gifts and nonstop creative energy to spreading the gospel word and feeling. A deeply religious man, Hammond composes when inspiration hits, which can occur at any time of the day or night. Hammond's prodigious output indicates that inspiration is a frequent visitor.
