Commissioned is an American urban contemporary gospel group from Detroit, Michigan. Members included Michael Brooks, Fred Hammond, Keith Staten, Karl Reid, Mitchell Jones, Marvin Sapp, Marcus Cole
The group recorded twelve albums over a period of 17 years, and were nominated for Grammy and Stellar awards.
Group history The group originates from Detroit, Michigan. The six original members were Fred Hammond, Mitchell Jones, Keith Staten, Karl Reid, Michael Brooks and Michael Williams. The group formed in 1982, two years after Hammond played bass for The Winans. In 1990, Staten and Brooks left the group and were replaced with Marvin Sapp, Maxx Frank and Eddie Howard, Jr. By 1994, Howard had left the group, and Williams left a year later. Hammond also left to pursue a career with the choir Radical For Christ. He was replaced by Montrell Darrett. By 1999, Marcus Cole and Chris Poole had taken the place of Sapp, Frank and Darrett on the group's last studio album.
The R&B group Silk covered the Commissioned ballad "Cry On" on the movie soundtrack for Blankman (1994).
In 2002, Commissioned released a reunion album, which was recorded live at the Straightgate Church in Detroit, Michigan, on October 26, 2001. Most of the group's former members reunited, and featured most of its greatest hits.
The group performed live on stage during the 2002 Stellar Awards in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 2011, they were honored at the BMI Awards after the Stellar Awards. Gospel artists sang musical tributes, including: Dawkins & Dawkins, Deitrick Haddon, Marvin Sapp, The Soul Seekers, The Clark Sisters and Men of Standard. The members who were present at the event were Hammond, Staten, Sapp, Jones, Reid, Williams, Frank, Darrett, Cole and Brooks. The group sang "Victory" from their sophomore record, Go Tell Somebody.
Hammond, Brooks, Staten, Sapp, Reid, Jones, and Williams performed another reunion concert in 2019. It was hosted by the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Incorporated. The group was invited to perform to celebrate the 104th Summer Convention of the P.A.W. Inc.
Discography Albums Release dateAlbum title 1985I'm Going On1986Go Tell Somebody1987On The Winning Side1988Will You Be Ready?1989Ordinary Just Won't Do1990State of Mind1991Number 71991A Collection1994Matters of the Heart1995The Light Years1997Irreplaceable Love1999The Best Of Commissioned1999Time & Seasons2002The Commissioned Reunion Live2006Praise & Worship2006The Definitive 16 Greatest Hits2007New Beginnings Gospel2008The Essential Commissioned2008Gospel Legacy2008Fred Hammond & Commissioned2011Setlist: The Very Best Of Commissioned Live2012Mad Beats for Happy People
Guest appearances + List of non-single songs with guest appearances by Commissioned Title Year Album Artist(s) "Before It Falls Down" 2000 J2K - Jesus 2000 Various "All Because of You" 2001 With This Ring Various "What Child is This" 2013 Christmas Card Marvin Sapp "Honor The King"
Performance videos Release dateVideo / DVD title Label1991In Concert (Live) (VHS)Mercury Video1998Matters of the Heart (Video/Live) (VHS)Verity Records1998Commissioned: Live in Concert (VHS)Xenon Pictures1998Number 7 (VHS)Verity Records2002The Commissioned Reunion: Live (video/DVD)Verity Records2005The Winans: The Lost Concert (video/DVD)Xenon Pictures Awards Nominations Year Award-giving body Award category Song/album title1989Grammy AwardsBest Soul Gospel Performance - Duo, Group, Choir or ChorusWill You Be Ready?1991Grammy AwardsBest Pop Gospel AlbumShakin' the House...Live - Carman & Commissioned (& the Christ Church Choir)1994Grammy AwardsBest Contemporary Soul Gospel AlbumMatters of the Heart2001Stellar AwardsContemporary Group/Duo of the YearTime & Seasons2002Stellar AwardsProducer of the Year (Israel Humphrey)Commissioned Reunion Live2002Stellar AwardsGroup/Duo of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live2002Stellar AwardsContemporary Group/Duo of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live2002Stellar AwardsContemporary CD of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live2002Stellar AwardsSpecial Event CD of the YearCommissioned Reunion Live2002Grammy AwardsBest Contemporary Soul Gospel AlbumCommissioned Reunion Live
Members Fred Hammond: lead vocals, background vocals, bass guitar (1982-1994, 2001–2002, 2011, 2013, 2018–2022) Keith Staten: lead vocals, background vocals (1982-1990, 2001–2002, 2011, 2013, 2017–2024) Mitchell Jones: lead vocals, background vocals (1982-2002, 2011, 2013, 2017-present) Karl Reid: lead vocals, background vocals (1982-2002, 2011, 2013, 2017-present) Eddie Howard, Jr: keyboards (1990-1994) Marvin Sapp: lead vocals, background vocals (1990-1996, 2001–2002, 2011, 2013, 2018–2023) Michael Williams: drums (1982-1994, 2001–2002, 2011, 2018-present) Marcus Cole: lead vocals, background vocals (1996-2002, 2013, 2017–2019, 2022-2024) Michael Brooks: keyboards (1982-1990, 2018–2024) (died 2024) Montrell Darrett: lead vocals, background vocals (1995-1996) Chris Poole: lead vocals, backgrounds vocals (1999-2000) (deceased) Maxx Frank: keyboards, B3 organ, mixing (1990-1996) Parkes Stewart: lead vocals, background vocals (2023–present)
Footnotes