The Evolution of Rance Allen - Born in Monroe, Michigan, Rance Allen knew that he had a calling from an early age. The Gospel star started out ministering the Word as a 5-year-old and by the time he was 9, he had a following in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. His gift was no joke and Rance Allen became a licensed pastor by the time he was 12. (Photo: STAX Records)
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The Rance Allen Group - In 1969, Bishop Allen formed the gospel trio The Rance Allen Group with two of his brothers. They were trailblazers in contemporary gospel, fusing soul music with gospel for a new sound. (Photo: Gospel Truth Records)
Photo By Photo: Gospel
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Giving Back - In 1995, Bishop Allen was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity by the Urban Bible Institute of Detroit for his years in the ministry and his contributions for helping inner-city communities around him. (Photo: Earl E. Gibson III/BET)
Photo By Photo: Earl E. Gibson III/BET
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Celebrated - In 2009, Rance Allen was named one of the Great Men of Gospel by the Black Academy of Arts and Letters for his in comparable voice and contribution to gospel music. (Photo: Lamond Goodloe/PictureGroup)
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The Stax Years - Traditionally, Stax Records was known as a hub for R&B and soul artists, but one of their most successful acts was the Rance Allen Group. During their tenure at Stax, the Rance Allen Group became known for their hits “Ain’t No Need of Crying,” their cover of The Temptations' “Just My Imagination” and their original hit, “I Belong to You.” (Photo: Ilya Dreyvitser/WireImage)
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Living Legend - During the 2009 Stellar Awards, The Rance Allen Group received the Bobby Jones Legend Award for the impact that they had in the industry over the course of four decades. (Photo: Randi Radcliff/Getty Images for The Stellar Awards)
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