EMI Gospel is pleased to announce a long-term distribution deal with the new record label of legendary gospel recording artist Karen Clark Sheard.  Sheard’s new venture, Karew Records (pronounced KA-RUE), will create the opportunity for Karen and her sisters, the Grammy award winning group the Clark Sisters, to own their masters and gain more creative control over the direction and future of their careers.  Partnering with Sheard in this endeavor is her greatest supporter and husband, Pastor J. Drew Sheard.

2008 was a stellar year for Sheard, who was recognized by ASCAP for having written “Blessed and Highly Favored”, the most played gospel song on radio that year.  The song from the Clark Sisters reunion project, Live – One Last Time, won Sheard a Grammy award, and the project took home three Grammy awards overall.  "It would be hard to overstate the impact that Karen Clark Sheard has made on gospel music,” says Ken Pennell, president of EMI Gospel.  “She and The Clark Sisters have been musical innovators and ministry leaders to an entire generation of Gospel music artists and fans.  It is a distinct privilege for EMI Gospel to continue our partnership with them."

As President of Karew, Sheard has assembled her dream team including entertainment attorney Darrell Thompson who has been tapped as the General Manager to oversee day to day operations.  Long time right hand, Cynthia Ellis, will lend her years of industry experience to the position of Vice-President - coordinating Marketing, Publicity and touring operations.  Lastly, Sheard’s son, music producer J. Drew Sheard II, will execute A&R for the venture.

"I am looking forward to continuing a great family heritage in music, which began with my mother Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, through this endeavor.  Gospel music has the awesome responsibility of reaching the lost and encouraging the body of Christ, and EMI [Gospel] has afforded me this tremendous opportunity.  Karew Records will be driven by the power of the anointing.  Many thanks to Bill Hearn, Ken Pennell and Larry Blackwell for believing in me.  God is up to something," says Sheard.

KAREW envisions signing new artists throughout the course of the deal with EMI Gospel, but fans will be delighted as Sheard plans to launch the KAREW/EMI Gospel collaboration with a new musical offering of her own.  Sheard will be recording with famed producer and artist, Donald Lawrence, and she is currently in the studio with the highly sought after production team PAJAM.  Placing the family seal on the project and contributing his production prowess is Sheard’s son, J. Drew Sheard, II.  This highly anticipated project is slated for release in 2009.  KAREW/EMI plan to follow Sheard’s solo project with a new Clark Family Christmas release slated for October 2009, and a new Clark Sisters release in early 2010.