In New Film About Gospel Pioneers The Clark Sisters, The Music Comes First

The Clark Sisters — Jackie, Dorinda, Denise, Twinkie and Karen — were one of the most important gospel groups of the 20th century. The sisters grew up in Detroit and learned to sing from their mother, Mattie Moss Clark, a renowned gospel singer in her own right. With her help, the Clark Sisters went on to win three Grammy awards and become the top-selling female gospel group of all time. Simply put, they changed the sound of modern gospel music.

The story of the ground-breaking group and the matriarch who pushed them forward is the subject of a new Lifetime movie called The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel. The film differs from most musical biopics in one notable way: Director Christine Swanson insisted that the women playing the sisters in the film be able to sing — really sing. Acting experience was less of a requirement.

"Because we're dealing with the legendary Clark Sisters who have an enduring creative, spiritual legacy in music and culture — and who also happen to be from my hometown — I felt I had to raise the bar in terms of telling their story," Swanson says. "I thought the best way to go about doing that was to go about hiring real gospel singers."