Shirley Caesar was just a child in North Carolina when her gospel-singing father died, leaving behind 11 other children and her handicapped mother. Caesar then began singing in churches, and by the time she was 19, in 1957, she was performing with the hugely influential gospel group The Caravans. The singer/songwriter went solo in 1966, and over her iconic six-decade career, has released dozens of albums and won 11 GRAMMY®s. She's recorded with bands, church congregations, and choirs; performed on Broadway; and is as powerful a presence as anyone who has ever held a microphone.