Shep Crawford (December 18, 1970) is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B and gospel musician, songwriter, and record producer best known for Whitney Houston's "Same Script, Different Cast", Deborah Cox's "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here", Tamia's "Stranger in My House", Sisqó's "Incomplete", Luther Vandross' "I'd Rather" and Kelly Price's "As We Lay". He is the founder and pastor of The Experience Christian Ministries in Los Angeles, California.
Early life and influences Crawford was born and raised in Los Angeles. He attended Carver Missionary Baptist Church with his family where he learned musicianship from Pastor Richard Stubbs. At the age of eight, Crawford began playing the piano and organ for the Carver Church each week. At the age of 19, he became a licensed pastor at Love and Unity Community Church by Pastor Carl A. McCorkle.
Career Crawford has written and produced multiple albums for chart-topping artists, including Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Tamia, Deborah Cox, Montell Jordan, and Kelly Price.
In 1995, Crawford co-produced the song "Daddy's Home" on Montell Jordan's debut album This Is How We Do It. Jordan brought Crawford on as his music director, after having known each other as musicians in church during their childhood, and Crawford began his professional career.
In 1998, he produced and co-wrote the platinum single Deborah Cox track "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here". The song was certified Platinum in the United States, spending a then-record fourteen weeks at number 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and ranking at number 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. In 2017, Billboard ranked the song at number 5 on its Greatest of All Time Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
It won the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single (Female) and was nominated for the Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Song. He also wrote and produced the 1998 Deborah Cox track "We Can't Be Friends" which ranked at number 1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for two weeks.
In 1999, Crawford produced and co-wrote the Sisqó song "Incomplete". The song was certified Platinum in the United States and ranked at number 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
In 2000, he produced the Whitney Houston and Deborah Cox duet "Same Script, Different Cast". It was nominated for the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single (Group, Band or Duo). He also began working with Kelly Price and went on to produce multiple albums for her. That same year, Crawford was named as one of the top three producers and songwriters of the year by Billboard.
In 2001, Crawford won both the Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance for Glady Knight's album At Last and the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for Yolanda Adams' album The Experience. In 2003, Crawford won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year, the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, and the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album, and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for Luther Vandross' album Dance With My Father. That same year, he wrote and produced the song "Stranger in My House" for Tamia. The song was ranked number 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. He also founded 45 Live Records with former manager Erica Grayson and signed his first artist Onitsha, to produce her debut album Church Girl in collaboration with Still Waters, a division of Hidden Beach Recordings.
In 2012, he produced select songs on Tamia's album, Beautiful Surprise. The album and song of the same name were nominated for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Song at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in 2013.
Discography Vocals YearTitleAlbumLabelOther Artist(s)1995Daddy's HomeThis Is How We Do ItPMP RecordsMontell Jordan1996I Am L.V.I Am L.V.Tommy Boy Records, East West RecordsL.V.1999We Can't Be FriendsOne WishArista RecordsDeborah Cox2000Same Script, Different CastWhitney: The Greatest HitsArista RecordsWhitney Houston, Deborah Cox2001Beautiful GirlJersey AveMCA RecordsJersey Ave2010Same Script, Different CastThe Essential Whitney HoustonArista Records, Sony Music, Legacy RecordingsWhitney Houston, Deborah Cox
Instruments and performance YearTitleAlbumLabelOther Artist(s)1996I Am L.V.I Am L.V.Tommy Boy Records, East West RecordsL.V.I LikeI Like (single)Def Jam RecordingsMontell Jordan feat. Slick Rick1997All About UsTimeMushroom RecordsPeter AndreDreaming98°Motown, BMG Direct Marketing98°1998Nobody's Supposed to Be HereOne WishArista Records, BMGDeborah CoxAll Night, All RightTimeMushroom RecordsPeter Andre feat. Warren G1999KeysKeys (single)TVT RecordsLaTanyaCareless WhisperThe DanceCapitol RecordsDave Koz feat. Montell JordanWe Can't Be FriendsOne WishArista RecordsDeborah Cox2000Tell Me WhoCan't Go For ThatElektra RecordsTamiaSame Script, Different CastWhitney: The Greatest HitsArista RecordsWhitney Houston, Deborah CoxMarried ManMirror MirrorDef SoulKelly PriceThank You in AdvanceThank You in Advance (LP)Universal RecordsBoyz II Men2001Don't DeserveWeekendArista RecordsKenny LattimoreStranger in My HouseStranger in My House (single)Elektra RecordsTamiaAt Last (album)At LastMCA Music Corp of AmericaGladys KnightI Gotta BelieveBelieveElektra RecordsYolanda AdamsI'd RatherLuther VandrossJ RecordsLuther VandrossAgainst All OddsUrban RenewalWEA Records, Warner Music AustralasiaVarious Artists2002Starting With YouThe Morning AfterJ RecordsDeborah CoxI Showed HerO2J Records, BMGO-Town2003Buy Me a RoseDance with My FatherJ RecordsLuther Vandross2004TomorrowMoreElektra RecordsTamia2006Wait a MinuteIn My MindRCA RecordsHeather HeadleyLove and IBetween FriendsImage Entertainment, Plus 1 Music GroupTamiaThis Is Who I Am (album)This Is Who I Am (album)Ecclecti Sounds Entertainment, GospoCentric Records, Zomba Label GroupKelly Price2010Same Script, Different CastThe Essential Whitney HoustonArista Records, Sony Music, Legacy RecordingsWhitney Houston, Deborah CoxSettleFor Colored Girls: Music From and Inspired by the Original Motion Picture SoundtrackAtlantic RecordsVarious Artists2011MirrorUnbelievableShanachie RecordsKeke Wyatt2012Because of YouBeautiful SurprisePlus 1 Music GroupTamia2014Sing, Pray, Love, Vol 1: Sing (album)Sing, Pray, Love, Vol 1: SingeOneKelly Price2015Black ButterflyLove LifeDef Jam Recordings, Plus 1 Music GroupTamia
Writing and arrangement YearTitleAlbumLabelOther Artist(s)1995Daddy's HomeThis Is How We Do ItPMP RecordsMontell Jordan1997Dreaming98°Motown, BMG Direct Marketing98°1998Anything and EverythingLet's RideDef Jam RecordingsMontell Jordan feat. Master P and Silkk the ShockerNobody's Supposed to Be HereOne WishArista Records, BMGDeborah CoxTalk Show Shhh!Talk ShowUniversal RecordsShae JonesWhen You Get HomeLet's RideDef Jam RecordingsMontell Jordan1999Once Upon a TimeGet It On... ToniteDef SoulMontell JordanNobody's Supposed to Be HereTotally HitsArista RecordsVarious ArtistsKeysKeys (single)TVT RecordsLaTanyaIncompleteUnleash the DragonDef Soul, Dragon Records, Creative Management GroupSisqó2000Tell Me WhoCan't Go For ThatElektra RecordsTamiaIf I Were YouA Nu DayElektra RecordsTamiaCareless WhisperThe DanceCapitol RecordsDave Koz feat. Montell JordanSame Script, Different CastWhitney: The Greatest HitsArista RecordsWhitney Houston, Deborah CoxI Finally KnowNathan Michael Shawn WanyaUniversal RecordsBoyz II MenMarried ManMirror MirrorDef SoulKelly PriceNever Let GoMy EverythingUniversal Records98°Thank You in AdvanceThank You in Advance (LP)Universal RecordsBoyz II MenTell Me WhoCan't Go For ThatElektra RecordsTamia2001I'd RatherLuther VandrossJ RecordsLuther VandrossAgainst All OddsUrban RenewalWEA Records, Warner Music AustralasiaVarious ArtistsStranger in My HouseStranger in My House (single)Elektra RecordsTamiaNobody's Supposed to Be HereOh What A Feeling 2, A Vital Collection Of Canadian MusicUniversal RecordsVarious ArtistsI Didn't RealizeJesse PowellMCA Records, Victor Entertainment, Silas RecordsJesse PowellFo' Sho'BelieveElektra RecordsYolanda AdamsWhat's WrongWhat's WrongMCA RecordsPam & DodiAt Last (album)At LastMCA Music Corp of AmericaGladys KnightDon't DeserveWeekendArista RecordsKenny LattimoreIncompleteTop Of The Pops 2001 Volume One Universal Music TVVarious ArtistsStranger in My HouseTotally DanceArista RecordsVarious ArtistsNobody's Supposed to Be HereFashion Cares: 15th Anniversary RetrospectiveUniversal RecordsVarious ArtistsBeautiful GirlJersey AveMCA RecordsJersey Ave2002Always Been Your GirlThis Is Who I AmRCA Records, BMG CanadaHeather HeadleyI Showed HerO2J RecordsO-TownStarting With YouThe Morning AfterJ RecordsDeborah Cox2003Miss YouMy SoulDreamWorks RecordsSleep in the MiddleBittersweetArista RecordsBlu Cantrell2004Stranger in My HouseStill (Dance Mixes)Arista RecordsTamiaWe Can't Be FriendsUltimateUltimate RecordsDeborah CoxTomorrowMoreElektra RecordsTamiaNobody's Supposed to Be HereOprah's Pop Star Challenge 2004 Cast Album: Dreams Really Do Come TrueEpic RecordsVarious ArtistsStranger in My HouseAll That UrbanWarner Music AustralasiaVarious Artists2005Sleep in the MiddleHit 'Em Up Style: Chart And Club Hits Of Blu CantrellCMGBlu Cantrell2006Love and IBetween FriendsImage Entertainment, Plus 1 Music GroupTamiaWait a MinuteIn My MindRCA RecordsHeather HeadleyPlease Don't ForgetGratefulLight RecordsCokoThe ClosingThe Book Of David: Vol. 1 The TransitionGospoCentric Records, Zomba Label GroupDave HollisterThis Is Who I Am (album)This Is Who I Am (album)Ecclecti Sounds Entertainment, GospoCentric Records, Zomba Label GroupKelly Price2008The Promise (album)The Promise (album)Deco Recording GroupDeborah CoxIncompleteR&B Love Collection 2008Universal Music TVVarious Artists2010SettleFor Colored Girls: Music From and Inspired by the Original Motion Picture SoundtrackAtlantic RecordsVarious ArtistsSame Script, Different CastThe Essential Whitney HoustonArista Records, Sony Music, Legacy RecordingsWhitney Houston2011Everybody's GirlLove?Island RecordsJennifer LopezMirrorUnbelievableShanachie RecordsKeke WyattPlay Your PartS.O.U.L.Sony Music Commercial Music GroupDeborah Cox2012Because of YouBeautiful SurprisePlus 1 Music GroupTamia2014Sing, Pray, Love, Vol 1: Sing (album)Sing, Pray, Love, Vol 1: SingeOneKelly Price
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