Cynthia Clawson

As of 2018, she has appeared on twenty Gaither Homecoming videos.

Clawson was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Houston Baptist University in 1995, and was awarded the same degree from Howard Payne University in 2007.

In the early 1990s, she performed in a one-woman show, A Private Showing/A Public Confession, which was written for her.

In 1986, Clawson was featured in Lou Rawls Parade of Stars, along with The Judds, New Edition, Bill Cosby, Charlton Heston, and Natalie Cole. In later years, she became closely associated with Bill and Gloria Gaither and frequently sang with them in their Gaither Homecoming recordings and concerts. She has sung in a variety of prestigious venues, including a concert at London's Wembley Stadium.

In 1985, Clawson's rendition of "Softly and Tenderly" was included in the soundtrack of the Academy Award winning movie The Trip to Bountiful. In 1992, she recorded "Somewhere in Between" on the soundtrack of "Where the Red Fern Grows: Part 2". In 2014, Clawson recorded the closing song "You Are Home" for the original score soundtrack of the movie "Heaven is Real.

In 1981, her recording of "The Lord's Prayer" with Andrae Crouch, The Archers (Janice Archer, Steve Archer, Tim Archer), B.J. Thomas, Dony McGuire, Reba Rambo, Tramaine Hawkins & Walter Hawkins won the Grammy Award for the Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary Or Inspirational category. She performed on the Grammy show that year.

Clawson and Courtney were married in 1973. They were co-ministers of The Sanctuary in Austin, Texas, where they designed worship services using theatre and music as a means of religious expression.

Clawson was spotted by a CBS television producer who signed her to headline a summer 1971 replacement for The Carol Burnett Show called the CBS Newcomers. That show led her to a recording contract with record producer Buryl Red. Around that time, Buryl was writing a new musical with lyricist, poet and playwright Ragan Courtney titled Celebrate Life; Clawson was invited to record the solos for the original cast album.

Clawson graduated from Milby High School in Houston, Texas, and is a 1970 graduate of Howard Payne University with a major in vocal performance and a minor in piano. She won the Arthur Godfrey Talent Show her senior year in college.

In 1970, Clawson and the musical group The Lively Ones accompanied evangelist Billie Hanks on a tour of five Asian countries in cooperation with the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. In 1972, she was featured soloist for the Meet Jesus Youth Crusade in Kerrville, Texas.

Cynthia Clawson (born October 11, 1948 in Houston, Texas) is a Grammy Award-winning American gospel singer. She has been called "The most awesome voice in gospel music" by Billboard Magazine, and has received five Dove Awards, 15 Dove Award nominations, and a Grammy for her work.