The Lucas Sisters - Rosiland, Mary, and Trudy - hail from Charleston County and received the gift of music from their parents, who were themselves notable performers with gospel quartets and quintets in the Lowcountry.
They all performed as youngsters at Charity Baptist Church, and the sisters have not stopped since. The sisters have been joined over the years by other talented singers, including Christal Brown and Bernice Cromwell. Their gospel repertoire encompasses the history of African-American religious music, from early spirituals to contemporary full gospel.
The Lucas Sisters are at home singing a capella or with a full gospel band. They joke that even if the "power goes out" they can still carry on a performance with their voices. They feel blessed to be able to sing and consider it one of God's many blessings in their lives. In Bernice's words, "Gospel is not something you just sing, it's something you live."
The Lucas Sisters perform throughout the region on a regular basis and have performed overseas on several occasions. The Lucas Sisters received the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 1993.
Video
Bernice Cromwell and Rosiland Lucas talk about the power of music in their lives...
Video
Rosiland (on lead), Trudy Lucas, Bernice Cromwell, and Mary Lucas (l to r) in rehearsal for a perfomance in the Lowcountry.
Document
The video transcript for: The Importance Of Gospel Highway To Heaven
