Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams (née Caesar; born October 13, 1938),<!-- Per MOS:REFPUNCT: Where a footnote applies only to material within parentheses, the ref tags belong just before the closing parenthesis. --> known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American gospel singer. Her career began in 1951, when she signed to Federal Records at the age of 12. Throughout her seven decade career, Caesar has often been referred to as the "First Lady of Gospel Music" and "The Queen of Gospel Music". 15 Dove Awards, and 14 Stellar Awards.
Caesar has released over 40 albums. She has participated in over 16 compilations and three gospel musicals, including Mama I Want to Sing. Her record sells exceed over 2.2 million albums, making her one of the top-selling gospel artists. She has made several notable televised appearances, and performed at the White House for President George H. W. Bush. Caesar also gave a speech on the evolution of gospel music to the US Treasury Department. In 2026, after 75 years of recording, she won her 12th Grammy Award in the Best Gospel Performance/Song category for "Come Jesus Come" with CeCe Winans.
Her honors include the SESAC Lifetime Achievement Award and the Rhapsody & Rhythm Award from the National Museum of African American Music, along with a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. Caesar has also been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Early life
Caesar was born in Durham, North Carolina. She is the 10th of 13 children. "He's Working It Out for You", "Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name" and "You're Next in Line for a Miracle".
She has made a name for herself on the gospel music circuit, making guest appearances on the Bobby Jones gospel show and other popular television shows. Caesar credits Albertina Walker as her mentor and "Queen of Gospel Music".
Between 1981 and 1995, she received seven Dove Awards for Black Gospel Album of the Year for Live at the G.M.W.A., Celebration, Christmasing, Sailin‘, Live ... In Chicago, Go and Rejoice. She received two Black Gospel Song of the Year Awards for "He's Working It Out for You" and "Hold My Mule". She has performed with Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston, Dorothy Norwood, Faith Evans, Dottie Peoples, Arnold Houston, Kim Burrell, John P. Kee, Kirk Franklin, Tonex, and Tye Tribbett, among others.
Caesar is also an actress. She acted in movies, such as Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998) with Larenz Tate and Little Richard, Fighting Temptations (2003) with Beyoncé and Cuba Gooding Jr., and The Unseen (2005) with Steve Harris. She acted in an episode of The Good News in 1998 as Aunt Shirley. Caesar appeared on The Parkers in 2004.
In 2014, her song "Teach Me Master", which originally appeared on her 1972 album Get Up My Brother, was sampled by Dutch producer Bakermat as "Teach Me". It reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2016, she found herself back at the very top of the gospel Billboard chart with her CD release Fill This House.
Education in later life
After many years, Caesar finally accomplished her dream of completing her education. She had first enrolled at North Carolina College in 1956 to study business education, but left two years later to pursue her music career.
Personal life
Caesar married Bishop Harold I. Williams in June 1983. The couple were co-pastors of the 1,500-member Mount Calvary Word of Faith Church in Raleigh, North Carolina until his death on July 4, 2014. While she does not have children of her own, she has two stepchildren from her husband.
Caesar is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She cites her mother as a strong influence in her decision to give so selflessly of herself. Caesar has committed a sizable portion of all concert sales to her outreach ministries. Recently, she has cut back on preaching and has appointed an executive pastor at her church, and he provides weekly sermons to the congregation while Caesar serves as senior pastor, but Caesar continues to record and perform in concert all over the country.
She continues to hold her annual outreach ministries conference. The outreach ministry provides food, clothing, shelter, toys for children, and financial assistance to those in need. She opened an eponymous store and uses the profits to help others during the holiday season.
When asked what would she still like to accomplish, she says: "I would like to do more acting...."
Discography
Albums
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|+List of studio albums + compilation albums, with selected chart positions.
! rowspan="2" |Title
! rowspan="2" |Details
! colspan="3" |Peak chart positions
|-
!scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US
!scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US<br>Gospel
!scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US<br>R&B/HH
|-scope="row"| No ChargeDecember 14, 1975
!scope="row"|First Lady
|
- Released: December 14, 1977
- Format: Cassette, LP
|—
|—
|36
|-
!scope="row"|From the Heart
|
- Released: May 1, 1978
- Format: LP
|—
|—
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name
|
- Released: October 1983
- Format: LP, CD
|—
|2
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Sailin
|
- Released: June 1984
- Format: LP, CD
|—
|1
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Celebration
|
- Released: December 1985
- Format: LP, CD
|—
|3
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Her Very Best
|
- Released: March 1987
- Format: LP, CD
|—
|22
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Go
|
- Released: 1987
- Format: LP, CD
|—
|—
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Live in Chicago
|
- Released: March 1988
- Format: CD
|—
|1
|—
|-
!scope="row"|I Remember Mama
|
- Released: November 1989
- Format: CD
|—
|2
|—
|-
!scope="row"|He's Working it Out for You
|
- Released: December 1991
- Format: CD
|—
|1
|95
|-
!scope="row"|Stand Still
|
- Released: September 1993
- Format: CD
|—
|3
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Shirley Caesar Live...He Will Come
|
- Released: July 1995
- Format: CD
|—
|6
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Christmasing
|
- Released: November 1996
- Format: CD
|—
|37
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Just a Word
|
- Released: July 1996
- Format: CD
|—
|—
|—
|-
!scope="row"|A Miracle in Harlem
|
- Released: April 29, 1997
- Format: CD
|—
|5
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Christmas with Shirley Caesar
|
- Released: October 20, 1998
- Format: CD
|—
|13
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Hymns
|
- Released: October 30, 2001
- Format: CD
|—
|4
|—
|-
!scope="row"|You Can Make It
|
- Released: August 2002
- Format: CD
|—
|7
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Greatest Gospel Hits
|
- Released: August 26, 2003
- Format: CD
|—
|4
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Shirley Caesar & Friends
|
- Released: September 23, 2003
- Format: CD
|—
|6
|—
|-
!scope="row"|I Know the Truth
|
- Released: September 6, 2005
- Format: CD
|—
|3
|—
|-
!scope="row"|After 40 Years...Still Sweeping Through the City
|
- Released: November 6, 2007
- Format: CD
|—
|8
|—
|-
!scope="row"|The Definitive Gospel Collection
|
- Released: May 20, 2008
- Format: CD
|—
|38
|—
|-
!scope="row"|A City Called Heaven
|
- Released: November 24, 2009
- Format: CD
|—
|8
|—
|-
!scope="row"|The Ultimate Collection
|
- Released: January 11, 2011
- Format: CD
|—
|4
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Giving & Sharing: A Christmas Collection
|
- Released: September 20, 2011
- Format: CD
|—
|36
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Platinum Gospel: Shirley Caesar
|
- Released: October 11, 2011
- Format: CD
|—
|41
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Good God
|
- Released: March 26, 2013
- Format: CD
|168
|4
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Harvest Gospel
|
- Released: October 15, 2013
- Format: CD
|—
|14
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Timeless Gospel Classics: Inspirational/Gospel Vol. 2
|
- Released: May 4, 2015
- Format: CD
|—
|17
|—
|-
!scope="row"|Fill This House
|
- Released: June 3, 2016
- Format: CD
|—
|1
|—
|}
Charting singles
As lead artist
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of charted singles, with year, album and chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Year
! scope="col" colspan="4" | Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Album
|-
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em; font-size:90%;"| US<br>
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em; font-size:90%;"| US<br>Gospel<br>
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|<br />
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em; font-size:90%;"| <br>
|-
! scope="row" |"No Charge"
| 1975
| 91 || — || 40 || rowspan="2"
| No Charge
|-
! scope="row" | "Hold My Mule"<br>
| 1988
| — || 1 || —
| Live in Chicago
|-
! scope="row" | "I Remember Mama"
| 1989
| — || — || — || 3
| I Remember Mama
|-
! scope="row" | "I Know the Truth (Lies)"
| 2005
| — || 10 || — || rowspan="7"
| I Know the Truth
|-
! scope="row" | "Sweeping Through the City"
| 2007
| — || 26 || —
| After 40 Years...Still Sweeping Through The City
|-
! scope="row" | "Nobody"<br>
| 2009
| — || 16 || —
| rowspan="2" |A City Called Heaven
|-
! scope="row" | "Favor"
| 2010
| — || 18 || —
|-
! scope="row" | "God Will Make a Way"
| 2013
| — || 3 || —
| Good God
|-
! scope="row" | "It's Alright, It's Ok"<br>
| rowspan="2" | 2016
| — || 7 || —
| rowspan="2" | Fill This House
|-
! scope="row" | "Fill This House"
| — || 21 || —
|-
| colspan="7" style="font-size:85%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.<br>"*" denotes that the chart did not exist at that time.
|}
Guest appearances
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Title
! rowspan="2" |Year
!Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2" |Album
|-
!scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US<br>
|-
|scope="row"|"You Name It (#UNameIt Challenge)"
|2016
|15
|
|}
Awards and nominations
BET Awards
The BET Awards are awarded annually by the Black Entertainment Television network. Caesar has received 3 nominations.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
|-
! style="width:3%;"| Year
! style="width:23%;"| Award
! style="width:20%;"| Nominated work
! style="width:5%;"| Result
|-
|align="center"| 2007
|rowspan="2"| Best Gospel Artist
|rowspan="2"| Herself
|
|-
|align="center"| 2009
|
|-
|align="center"| 2024
| Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
| "Award All of the Glory"
|
|-
|}
GMA Dove Awards
The Dove Awards are awarded annually by the Gospel Music Association. Caesar has received 16 awards from 32 nominations.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! width="5%"| Year
! width="45%"| Category
! width="20%"| Work
! width="10%"| Result
|-
|align="center"| 1981
| Inspiration Black Gospel Album of the Year
| Rejoice
|
|-
|align="center"| 1982
|rowspan="6"| Traditional Black Gospel Album of the Year
| Go
|
|-
|align="center"| 1984
| Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name
|
|-
|align="center"| 1985
| Sailin
|
|-
|align="center"| 1986
| Celebration <small>(as producer)</small>
|
|-
|align="center"| 1987
| Christmasing
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 1989
| Live... In Chicago
|
|-
| Traditional Black Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
| "Hold My Mule"
|
|-
|align="center"| 1990
|colspan='2"| Long Form Video of the Year
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="3"| 1994
| Contemporary Black Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
|rowspan="2"| "Stand Still"
|
|-
| Traditional Black Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
|
|-
| Traditional Black Gospel Album of the Year
| Stand Still
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 1995
| Traditional Black Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
| "He's Working It Out For You"
|
|-
| Traditional Black Gospel Album of the Year
| Live at GMWA
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 1996
| Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
| "Patiently Waiting"
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| Traditional Gospel Album of the Year
| Live... He Will Come
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 1997
| Just A Word
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
| "Just A Word"
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 1998
| "You're Next In Line For A Miracle"
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| Traditional Gospel Album of the Year
| A Miracle In Harlem
|
|-
|align="center"| 1999
| Christmas with Shirley Caesar
|
|-
|align="center"| 2000
| Gospel Music Hall of Fame
| Herself
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 2001
| Traditional Gospel Album of the Year
| You Can Make It
|
|-
| Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
| "Rejoice"
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 2002
| Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
| "Steal Away To Jesus"
|
|-
|rowspan="3"| Traditional Gospel Album of the Year
| Hymns
|
|-
|align="center"| 2004
| Shirley Caesar & Friends
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 2006
| I Know The Truth
|
|-
| Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
| "I Know The Truth (Lies)"
|
|-
|align="center"| 2009
|rowspan='2"| Traditional Gospel Album of the Year
| Still Sweeping Through The City After 40 Years
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 2011
| A City Called Heaven
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
| "Favor"
|
|-
|align="center"| 2016
| "It's Alright, It's Ok" <small>(with Anthony Hamilton)</small>
|
|-
|align="center"| 2017
| Gospel Music Hall of Fame
| Herself
|
|-
|align="center"| 2025
| Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year
| "Come Jesus Come" <small>(with Cece Winans)</small>
|
|-
|}
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Caesar has won 1 honorary award and 12 awards from 29 nominations.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! width="5%"| Year
! width="45%"| Category
! width="20%"| Work
! width="10%"| Result
|-
|align="center"| 1972
| Best Soul Gospel Performance
| "Put Your Hand In The Hand Of The Man From Galilee"
|
|-
|align="center"| 1979
|rowspan="2"| Best Soul Gospel Performance, Contemporary
| "Reach Out and Touch"
|
|-
|align="center"| 1981
| Rejoice
|
|-
|align="center"| 1982
| Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional
| Go
|
|-
|align="center"| 1984
|rowspan="2"| Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female
| Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="3"| 1985
| Sailin
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| Best Soul Gospel Performance By A Duo Or Group
| "Sailin' on the Sea of Your Love" <small>(with Al Green</small>
|
|-
| "Rejoice" <small>(with Anne Caesar Price)</small>
|
|-
|align="center"| 1986
|rowspan="2"| Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female
| Martin
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 1987
| Celebration
|
|-
| Best Soul Gospel Performance By A Duo, Group, Choir Or Chorus
| "Jesus Is Mine" <small>(with Albertina Walker</small>
|
|-
|align="center"| 1988
|rowspan="2"| Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female
| "The Lord Will Make A Way"
|
|-
|align="center"| 1989
| Live... In Chicago
|
|-
|align="center"| 1991
|rowspan="4"| Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
| I Remember Mama
|
|-
|align="center"| 1992
| He's Working It Out For You
|
|-
|align="center"| 1994
| Stand Still
|
|-
|align="center"| 1996
| Shirley Caesar Live - He Will Come
|
|-
|align="center"| 1997
| Best Gospel Album By A Choir Or Chorus
| Just A Word
|
|-
|align="center"| 1998
|rowspan="5"| Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
| A Miracle In Harlem
|
|-
|align="center"| 2000
| Christmas with Shirley Caesar
|
|-
|align="center"| 2001
| You Can Make It
|
|-
|align="center"| 2002
| Hymns
|
|-
|align="center"| 2004
| Shirley Caesar and Friends
|
|-
|align="center"| 2005
| Best Gospel Performance
| "The Stone"
|
|-
|align="center"| 2006
| Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
| I Know The Truth
|
|-
|align="center"| 2011
| Best Traditional Gospel Album
| A City Called Heaven
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="3"| 2017
| Best Gospel Album
| Fill This House
|
|-
| Best Gospel Performance/Song
| "It's Alright, It's Ok"
|
|-
| Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
| Herself
|
|-
|align="center"| 2026
| Best Gospel Performance/Song
| "Come Jesus Come" <small>(with CeCe Winans)</small>
|
|-
|}
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards are awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Caesar has won 2 awards from 7 nominations.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
|-
! style="width:3%;"| Year
! style="width:23%;"| Award
! style="width:20%;"| Nominated work
! style="width:5%;"|Result
|-
|align="center"| 1987
|rowspan="3"| Outstanding Gospel Artist
|rowspan="4"| Herself
|
|-
|align="center"| 1997
|
|-
|align="center"| 1999
|
|-
|align="center"| 2002
| Outstanding Gospel Artist - Traditional
|
|-
|align="center"| 2004
| Outstanding Gospel Artist
| Shirley Caesar and Friends
|
|-
|align="center"| 2010
| Outstanding Gospel Album
| A City Called Heaven
|
|-
|align="center"| 2014
| Outstanding Gospel Album - (Traditional or Contemporary)
| Good God
|
|-
|}
Soul Train Awards
The Soul Train Music Awards are awarded annually. Caesar has received 1 award from 11 nominations.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
|-
! style="width:3%;"| Year
! style="width:23%;"| Award
! style="width:20%;"| Nominated work
! style="width:5%;"|Result
|-
! colspan="4"| Soul Train Music Awards
|-
|align="center"| 1987
|rowspan="2"| Best Gospel Album - Solo
| Celebration
|
|-
|align="center"| 1988
| Her Very Best
|
|-
|align="center"| 1989
|rowspan="4"| Best Gospel Album
| Live In Chicago
|
|-
|align="center"| 1993
| He's Working It Out For You
|
|-
|align="center"| 1994
| Stand Still
|
|-
|align="center"| 1996
| He Will Come
|
|-
|align="center"| 2013
| Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance
| "God Will Make A Way"
|
|-
|align="center"| 2023
| Best Gospel/Inspirational Song
| "All the Glory"
|
|-
! colspan="4"| Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards
|-
|align="center"| 1996
|rowspan="3"| Best Gospel Album
| Shirley Caesar Live... He Will Come
|
|-
|align="center"| 1998
| A Miracle In Harlem
|
|-
|align="center"| 2001
| You Can Make It
|
|-
|}
Stellar Awards
The Stellar Awards are awarded annually by SAGMA. Caesar has received 1 honorary award and 14 competitive awards from 26 nominations.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! width="5%"| Year
! width="45%"| Category
! width="20%"| Work
! width="10%"| Result
|-
|align="center"| 1986
| Trailblazer Award
| Herself
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 1987
| Traditional CD of the Year
|rowspan="2"| Celebration
|
|-
|rowspan="5"| Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
|
|-
|align="center"| 1988
| What A Difference
|
|-
|align="center"| 1989
| Live In Chicago
|
|-
|align="center"| 1991
| Herself
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 1993
|rowspan="2"| He's Working It Out For You
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| Traditional Album of the Year
|
|-
|align="center"| 1995
| Stand Still
|
|-
|align="center"| 1997
| Traditional Female Artist of the Year
| Herself
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="3"| 1998
| Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year
|rowspan="3"| A Miracle In Harlem
|
|-
| Traditional Female Artist of the Year
|
|-
| Traditional Album of the Year
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="3"| 2002
|rowspan="3"| Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
| You Can Make It
|
|-
| Artist of the Year
|
|-
| Female Vocalist of the Year
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 2007
| Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
|rowspan="2"| I Know The Truth
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| Female Vocalist of the Year
|
|-
|align="center"| 2009
| After 40 Years... Still Sweeping Through the City
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="3"| 2011
| Traditional CD of the Year
|rowspan="2"| A City Called Heaven
|
|-
| Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
|
|-
| Music Video of the Year
| "Playground in Heaven"
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 2014
| Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year
|rowspan="2"| Good God
|
|-
| Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="3"| 2017
| Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year
|rowspan="3"| Fill This House
|
|-
| Contemporary CD of the Year
|
|-
| Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
|
|-
|}
Miscellaneous honors
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! width="5%"| Year
! width="20%"| Organization
! width="45%"| Category
! width="20%"| Work
! width="10%"| Result
|-
|align="center"| 2010
|colspan="2"| North Carolina Music Hall of Fame
|rowspan="5"| Herself
|
|-
|align="center" rowspan="2"| 2016
| National Museum of African American Music
| Rhapsody & Rhythm Award
|
|-
| Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
| 2,583rd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
|
|-
|align="center"| 2021
|colspan="2"| Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame
|
|-
|align="center"| 2025
|colspan="2"| Missouri Gospel Music Hall of Fame
|
|-
|}
- Caesar is a recipient of a 1999 National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.
- Caesar performed for President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at the White House in 2015, along with Aretha Franklin.