Shirley Caesar is an American gospel singer, born in 1938 in Durham, North Carolina. After joining The Caravans in 1958 and then going solo, she became known for Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man from Galilee, No Charge and Hold My Mule, and is nicknamed the "First Lady of Gospel Music."
Born in 1938 in Durham, North Carolina, Shirley Caesar sang as a child across the Carolinas, then joined Albertina Walker's Caravans in 1958 at age 19. With them she recorded Sweeping Through the City and No Coward Soldier, among others. After eight years she signed a solo deal with Hob Records, whose first album was I'll Go. In 1971 she won her first Grammy Award for Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man from Galilee, and in 1975 No Charge became her first gold record.
In 1977 she released First Lady on Roadshow Records, an album title that gave her the nickname "First Lady of Gospel Music." She joined Word Records in 1980, where she recorded He's Working It Out for You and Hold My Mule, from Live in Chicago (1988). She was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2016, Fill This House put her back at the top of Billboard's gospel chart, and in 2026 she won a Grammy with CeCe Winans for Come Jesus Come.
- Origin
- Durham (North Carolina), United States
- Style
- Gospel
- Active since
- 1958 (The Caravans)
- Good to know
- Nicknamed the "First Lady of Gospel Music," performer of Hold My Mule
How did Shirley Caesar begin?
Shirley Caesar started by singing for family and friends, then across the Carolinas, where invitations kept coming while she was still in school. In 1958 she asked Albertina Walker to let her join The Caravans, one of the most popular gospel groups of the time, and paused her studies to do so. She sang there with Albertina Walker, Cassietta George and Inez Andrews, and her biggest hits with the group were Sweeping Through the City, followed by No Coward Soldier.
She left the Caravans after eight years for a solo contract with Hob Records, where I'll Go appeared with the Institutional Radio Choir. Get Up My Brother (1972) followed, then No Charge in 1975. She next signed with Roadshow Records (First Lady, 1977; From the Heart, 1978) before settling at Word Records in 1980, where she won several Dove Awards and more Grammy Awards.
What makes Shirley Caesar distinctive?
Her career spans more than six decades, from the Caravans to a Grammy won in 2026: few gospel artists have crossed so many eras. She has received Dove Awards for albums such as Live in Chicago and Go, as well as for the songs He's Working It Out for You and Hold My Mule.
Her music also keeps traveling beyond gospel: Teach Me Master, from her 1972 album Get Up My Brother, was sampled in 2014 by Dutch producer Bakermat for Teach Me, which reached number 22 on the UK singles chart. In 2016, Hold My Mule returned to the top of Billboard's Hot Gospel Songs, long after its 1988 recording.
Where should you start to discover Shirley Caesar?
Start with Put Your Hand In The Hand Of That Man and No Charge, her first big solo successes, then listen to Hold My Mule and He's Working It Out for You. Finish with Come Jesus Come, her duet with CeCe Winans, before working back through the discography with Live in Chicago (1988) and Fill This House (2016).
songs
Hold My Mule
Recorded in 1988 on Live in Chicago with Albertina Walker and Milton Brunson, it reached number one on Billboard's Hot Gospel Songs in December 2016.
No Charge
Released in 1975, this song became her first gold record, during her years at Hob Records.
Put Your Hand In The Hand Of That Man
Also known as Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man from Galilee, it is the song that earned her first Grammy Award, in 1971.
He's Working It Out for You
Title track of her 1991 album, it earned her a Dove Award for Black Gospel Song of the Year.
Come Jesus Come (feat. Shirley Caesar)
A duet with CeCe Winans from the album More Than This (2024), honored at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
Discography
- 2016Fill This House· Topped Billboard's gospel albums chart
- 2013Good God
- 2009A City Called Heaven
- 2005I Know the Truth
- 1997A Miracle in Harlem
- 1991He's Working It Out for You
- 1988Live in Chicago· Live, with Hold My Mule
- 1984Sailin'
- 1977First Lady· First album on Roadshow Records
Read also
Frequently asked questions
Who is Shirley Caesar?
Shirley Caesar is an American gospel singer, born in 1938 in Durham, North Carolina. She began in 1958 with The Caravans, then recorded as a soloist, and remains known for No Charge, Hold My Mule and He's Working It Out for You.
Is Shirley Caesar a Christian artist?
Yes. She has sung gospel for more than sixty years, has received Dove Awards, presented by the Gospel Music Association, and has been in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame since 2000.
What are Shirley Caesar's best known songs?
Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man from Galilee, No Charge, Hold My Mule and He's Working It Out for You are among her best known songs. Her duet Come Jesus Come with CeCe Winans was honored at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
What is Shirley Caesar's latest album?
Her latest solo album is Fill This House, released in 2016. Since then she has notably appeared on CeCe Winans's Come Jesus Come, from the album More Than This (2024).
What does the nickname "First Lady of Gospel Music" mean?
The nickname comes from her album First Lady, released in 1977 on Roadshow Records. The producer chose the title because she was the first woman to record for that label, and it has stayed with her ever since.
Where can you listen to Shirley Caesar?
Her music is available on the main streaming platforms and on her official YouTube channel. Her official website also shares news about her work and projects.