African-American musician Kirk Franklin was born on January 26, 1970 in Riverside, Texas with not much luck. His parents abandoned him early in his life, but his aunt Gertrude Franklin took him with her and raised him in Forth Worth.
At age 4, Kirk Franklin showed his talent playing the piano by ear very easily. Later in life, he turned into a music director of an adult choir at the Mt. Rose Baptist Church at age 11. During those days he used to collect aluminum cans to pay for his piano lessons.
During his adolescence, Kirk turned into a rebel causing all kinds of trouble, leaving behind his Christian values, until one of his friends was killed at age 15, accidentally. After recalling to mind this event and realizing he was traveling down the wrong road, he took his steps back to church. He began composing songs, recording, and conducting and in 1992 he formed "The Family".
"The Family" is a band resulting after Kirk Franklin attended the 1990 Gospel Music Workshop of America Convention. Kirk Franklin and the Family debuted professionally in 1993 as one of the best contemporary gospel music bands.
Kirk Franklin and the Family's self-titled debut album was released in June 1993 and immediately afterward, it remained for 100 weeks on the national gospel and R&B charts in America, becoming the first gospel album that went platinum in history.
For the band's second album, "Kirk Franklin & the Family Christmas", released in November of 2005, Kirk again obtained the distinction of making again a gospel Christmas album the first that ever went number one on any of the charts.
Kirk Franklin and the Family's discography is actually composed of nine albums, seven of which went gold, platinum and even 2xplatinum and 3xplatinum. He along with his wife has also made television appearances which include the Oprah Winfrey Show.
Kirk Patrick is a religious man to whom with the advice of his church's pastor along with the encouragement of his wife and two children have kept him on the good road, and made him win two Grammy Awards in 2007 for his latest album, Hero.
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