Isaac Carree

Gospel singer Isaac Carree first made his name as a member of the vocal group <a href="spotify:artist:1DXIt1yDO207SmcSFAVEeS">Men of Standard</a>, releasing a string of award-winning albums in the late '90s and 2000s. He launched a successful solo career in 2011, fusing gospel balladry with contemporary R&B and funk. With both of his solo albums topping the Gospel charts, his crossover appeal helped him perform well in the pop mainstream where he reached the Top 50. After a five-year gap, Carree returned in 2019 with a pair of smooth R&B-driven singles.

Growing up in Greensboro, North Carolina, Carree's mother was a pastor at New Beginnings Community Outreach Church where he began singing solos during service. Possessing a fine tenor voice, Carree later sang in <a href="spotify:artist:3WVgChZY3rEyeHd3aljzNl">John P. Kee</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:3WVgChZY3rEyeHd3aljzNl">V.I.P. Choir</a> before leaving to form the gospel quartet <a href="spotify:artist:1DXIt1yDO207SmcSFAVEeS">Men of Standard</a> with Michael Bacon, Bryan Pierce, and <a href="spotify:artist:2XW1OHjJi2amPXgF7iw7PU">Lowell Pye</a> (they later became a trio with the departure of Bacon). The group signed to the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Malaco+Records%22">Malaco Records</a> subsidiary <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Muscle+Shoals%22">Muscle Shoals</a> and released four critically acclaimed albums on the imprint between 1996 and 2004 before releasing a fifth album on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Columbia+Records%22">Columbia Records</a> in 2006.

During a <a href="spotify:artist:1DXIt1yDO207SmcSFAVEeS">Men of Standard</a> hiatus, Carree recorded and released a solo album, Uncommon Me, late in the summer of 2011. A mix of contemporary gospel ballads and surprisingly funky R&B, the album topped Billboard's Gospel chart and won Carree a Stellar Award. His 2014 follow-up, Reset, performed just as well, again reaching number one on the Gospel chart and crossing over to the Top 200 where it peaked at number 41. Carree's next two singles, "Her" and "The Gift," both appeared in 2019 and mixed gospel messages with a smooth R&B feel. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi