The Mississippi Mass Choir

The Mississippi Mass Choir, founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1988 by Franklin D. Williams, has become an iconic institution in contemporary gospel music. Williams, a former member of the Jackson Southernaires and Malaco Records executive, gathered over 100 singers in open auditions to record a debut live album in October 1988 under the musical direction of David R. Curry Sr. Five weeks after its release, this self-titled album reached #1 on the Billboard Gospel chart, remaining there for 45 consecutive weeks, an all-time record, and receiving numerous prestigious honors such as the Stellar Awards, James Cleveland GMWA Awards, Dove Awards and Soul Train Music Awards. Their second album God Gets the Glory (1990) also dominated the charts, while It Remains to Be Seen... (1993) remained at number one for an entire year. The latter album also marked the last appearance of their founder, Franklin D. Williams, who died in March 1993. After his death, Jerry Mannery took over as executive director, continuing the group's spiritual and musical vision. Under his leadership, the choir recorded the albums I'll See You in the Rapture (1996), Emmanuel: God with Us (1999), Amazing Love (2002), Not by Might Nor by Power (2005) and ...Then Sings My Soul (2011). Over the decades, the choir has continued to record and perform, counting over 200 members and giving performances in 40 American states as well as internationally: Japan, Europe, Africa, Greece (notably at the Acropolis), and even before Pope John Paul II in Italy. Since then, The Mississippi Mass Choir has concentrated on touring, releasing only live albums, Declaration of Independence in 2014 and We Still Believe in 2024. On July 7, 2025, the choir lost one of its iconic singers with the death at the age of 92 of "Mama" Mosie Burks, present since the mid-1990s.