1. Sister Inez Andrews, born Inez McConico and better known as Inez Andrews, was an American gospel singer, who was noted for her powerful, wide-ranging voice.
16 Facts About Inez Andrews
1. 2.
Inez Andrews started singing in the church as a child and performed gospel music on the road in various gospel groups from the 1940s before joining The Caravans in 1957.
3.
Inez Andrews sang lead on The Caravans first breakthrough hit, "Mary Don't You Weep", and had hits as a solo artist with crossover recordings such as "Lord Don't Move The Mountain".
4.
Inez Andrews McConico was born in Birmingham, Alabama, to Theodore and Pauline McConico.
5.
Inez Andrews's mother died when she was two years old.
6.
Inez Andrews began singing as a child in church and began songwriting as a young mother in Birmingham.
7.
Inez Andrews began her singing career in the 1940s with two groups in Birmingham, Alabama: Carter's Choral Ensemble and the Original Gospel Harmonettes.
8.
Inez Andrews's songs were recorded by many artists, including The Mighty Clouds of Joy and Aretha Franklin.
9.
Inez Andrews recorded on many labels since the 1950s and has many albums and hit songs to her credit, some of which she composed herself.
10.
Inez Andrews claimed to have written the gospel standard "No Tears In Heaven" early in her singing career.
11.
The writing credits for the song was disputed between her and Sallie Martin whom Inez Andrews claimed wrote down the lyrics to the song while she was singing it at a program.
12.
Inez Andrews raised seven children during her career in gospel music.
13.
Inez Andrews died at her home on the South Side of Chicago on December 19,2012, at the age of 83.
14.
Inez Andrews is survived by seven children, 19 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
15.
Inez Andrews was the paternal grandmother of New Orleans native and female impersonator LeJeune Davis, known professionally as Cyndi Ambivalent.
16.
In 2002 Inez Andrews was inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame.