Beverly Crawford Honors Gospel Roots With ‘Made a Way’
- Crawford embraces younger artists, seeing their growth as a blessing.
- Gospel music must preserve its hymn-based foundation while evolving.
- Balancing family, ministry, and music has been Crawford's lifelong challenge.
After more than 30 years in gospel music, Beverly Crawford is still finding new ways to inspire listeners while staying true to the sound that made her one of the genre’s most respected voices.
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During a recent appearance on Get Up Mornings with Erica Campbell, Crawford introduced her latest single, “Made a Way,” and shared the story behind its unexpected collaboration with singer, songwriter and producer J’Quailen Carr.
According to Crawford, the opportunity came through Carr’s father after the young artist expressed that she wanted her “Auntie Beverly” to record a song she had written. Crawford gladly accepted the invitation and traveled to Atlanta to record it. Once she arrived at the studio, she received another surprise.
“I got to the studio, sitting behind the engineer was J’Quailen,” Crawford recalled. “Not only wrote the song, but she produced the song too.”
Watching Carr take charge in the studio was a full-circle moment for Crawford, who remembered knowing her when she was just a child.
“I remember this little girl at 12 years old preaching at my church,” she said. “Now she is grown and producing and telling her auntie what to do. That blessed me to see her blossom and doing what God has called her to do.”
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Even with decades of success, Crawford said it meant a lot that a younger artist wanted to work with her, calling the experience a blessing.
Known for her powerful, church-rooted vocals, Crawford was also asked how gospel music has changed over the years and what traditions should never disappear.
For her, the answer was simple: never lose the foundation.
“We can’t never lose the hymn,” she said, explaining that while gospel can embrace praise, worship and even modern influences, classics like “Precious Lord” and “Amazing Grace” should always have a place in the church.
“Every now and then, stir it up,” she added, encouraging artists to remain authentic and keep the heart of gospel music alive.
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Outside of recording, Crawford and her husband, Pastor Todd Crawford, have spent more than four decades building both a marriage and a ministry together. The couple has been married for nearly 44 years, and he has managed her music career from the very beginning.
Balancing family, ministry and touring hasn’t always been easy, but Crawford said they’ve been able to do it by preparing strong leaders within their church who can continue serving even while they’re traveling.
Looking ahead, Crawford hopes the success of “Made a Way” leads to a live recording, something she’s been praying about while continuing to work on new music.
For now, she’s encouraging fans to stream the new single and stay connected through her social media pages. After three decades in gospel, Beverly Crawford remains committed to delivering music that points people back to God while honoring the traditions that helped shape her ministry.
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