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Mary Mary music biography continued...

California in 1998 by sisters Erica Monique Atkins and Trecina "Tina" Evette Atkins. Born to a youth minister and church choir director, the girls got their start at an early age in their church's choir and became involved in traveling gospel shows and some television productions. Their big break in gospel came when their songs "Time To Change" and "Yeah" were recorded by Yolanda Adams on the Mountain High... Valley Low CD. The duo was subsequently signed to Columbia Records/C2 Records and decided to perform under the name Mary Mary, honoring Mary, the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Their first single, "Shackles (Praise You)" became a crossover hit, being popular with gospel, R&B, and pop audiences. It was a Top 10 R&B and Top 40 pop hit, and peaked at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Their first album, Thankful was released in May 2000. It went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. The second single "I Sings" peaked at #1 on the Gospel album chart and at #59 of the overall Top 200 chart, Thankful was certified Platinum for sales of 1 million copies in the US, and was a big hit in the UK and Europe, as well, establishing themselves as international stars.



Since Thankful, Mary Mary have released four studio albums, each successfully broadening the duo's audience with young music fans who love their hipper more modern type of gospel. In 2008's The Sound, Mary Mary also explored synthpop, electronica and pop rock. The album debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200, #2 on the US R&B chart, and tops on the gospel and CCM charts. The duo have won the American Music Award for the Best Inspirational/Christian Contemporary Artist, and have received countless Dove Awards. But that's not what is most important to them. "Our aim is to make music that the entire world, every age and nationality can relate to. We want people to be encouraged and uplifted when they listen to our music," Tina has said. Clearly, they are succeeding.