Duke Kerr, Melanie Kerr, Marlene Kerr, Tracey Riggan

The vocal group "Divine," comprising Tracy, Marlene (her twin), and Duke, along with their cousin Yvonne, formed in October 1986, rooted in their upbringing in the New Testament Church of God with strong Jamaican family ties.

Duke initially disliked singing due to his deep voice, but his older sister, Elaine, helped him find his place by teaching him harmonies for a youth choir, “the commissioners.” Duke soon loved singing harmonies, practicing even to TV adverts, and also joined the church “Joybells.” His first love, however, was drums, which he started playing at age 12, inspired by Shirley Potter, though singing ultimately took precedence. Their early musical environment provided a clear progression of choirs and prominent local singers as role models. Key influences included The Winans, Andre Crouch Imperials, and James Cleveland.

The formation of Divine was spontaneous. In 1986, Tracy, then 16, was invited to sing at a Highgate concert and brought Marlene, Yvonne, and Melanie to sing, with Duke, Paul, and Jason playing for them. Their performance of “What is this?” received an unexpected and overwhelming crowd reaction, sparking more invitations and leading Marlene to propose the name “Divine.”

The group’s musical style was influenced by the Clark Sisters and Reflections, with Dalton Kerr writing many of their original songs. Divine worked with a changing lineup of musicians, including Paul Streete on guitar and later Trevor Prince and occasionally Vince McCullough. Duke, a keyboard player, admired Ian Reid, whose addition to the band helped their playing “gel,” particularly for “The Well” project. This event was pivotal for Midlands gospel, fostering unity and new artists.

Divine often focused on complex harmonies, with Duke once celebrating a “Lap of Honour” after mastering a tricky Clark Sisters ballad, “Guardian Angel.” They recall a bittersweet experience singing at an American army base in Scotland soon after losing their father, where they realized their performance was “okay” despite initial nervousness about American gospel singers.

The group fondly reflects on the strong “sisterhood” and “brotherhood” among musicians, emphasizing the absence of ego and the mutual support. They assert that music broke down denominational barriers, as musicians from various churches would spontaneously “jam” together, transcending man-made divisions.

Divine notes the shift from relying on record deals for recognition to the current ability for artists to independently produce music. They lament, however, a perceived lack of “drive” in the Birmingham gospel scene compared to London. They also emphasize the importance of lyrical meaning and depth in gospel songs, advocating for songwriting that tells a story and expresses a unique black perspective, fearing a loss of their “story” and “song” if they solely adopt white contemporary Christian music styles.