Audrey Lawrence-Mattis & Carlene Lawrence

Audrey and Carlene Mattis, sisters from Birmingham, reflect on their childhood immersed in the New Testament Church of God, which they describe as a "full-time occupation" centered on faith and music.

Their home life, however, was musically diverse; their father, a “fantastic singer,” often sang R&B, while their mother’s high-pitched singing while seasoning chicken left a memorable impression.

Audrey, the natural director, was involved in “every choir going” from age 11 and mastered the organ in all keys. Carlene, the singer, learned by observing her older sister’s rehearsals. Their family group, “Gospel Harmony,” led to their involvement in the district choir. The Highgate Gospel Choir, formed when Audrey was 13, was a strategy to unite young people from various districts and churches, a successful initiative led by Winston Dad that ultimately led to many conversions despite initial conflicts. Audrey also formed the group “Refreshing Rain” and led school choirs, demonstrating her teaching aptitude. This extracurricular involvement led to extensive UK tours, including large conventions, offering formative experiences far beyond their school peers.

Carlene honed her performance skills with solo and duet singing, performing in school assemblies (where she adapted John Lennon’s “Imagine” to include heaven) and school musicals like “Smike.” Despite a music teacher’s discouraging attempt to offer her a “humongous tuba” instead of the flute, Carlene focused on her vocal talent, later regretting not pursuing West End musicals more seriously. She excelled in “teen talent” competitions and became a sought-after soloist for church events. She joined London’s Angelical Voice Choir and famously backed American gospel artist Tramaine Hawkins on the BBC’s “People Get Ready” in 1990-1991, an “absolutely brilliant” experience. She also sang lead on the first album of IDMC (Inter-District Mass Choir). The sisters recall the thriving gospel concert scene of the late 70s and early 80s that unified denominations, featuring powerful soloists like Hazel Watson, Godfrey Gayle, and Carla Hales.

Audrey, following a vocal meltdown in her early 20s, shifted to organizing. She formed AMC (Audrey Matisse’s Choir) for a university project, gathering Birmingham’s “creme de la creme” of singers for a concert at the Birmingham Conservatoire, aiming to address the “underrepresentation” of Black artists in academic institutions. A chance encounter with Grammy-winning keyboardist Howard McCrary led to AMC’s debut at Ronnie Scott’s and international performances.

The sisters note the evolution of gospel music from intricate, lyrically rich hymns to simpler, more repetitive modern worship songs. They advocate for more choirs and concert opportunities to recognize the unique Black British gospel sound, which blends American, Caribbean, and British influences.