Fred Hammond
Birth name Frederick William Hammond
Born December 27, 1960 (age 55)
Detroit, Michigan, US
Genres Gospel, contemporary Christian, inspirational / worship
Occupation(s) Musician, producer
Instruments Vocals, bass guitar
Years active 1985–present
Labels Light, Verity, A&M, Benson
Website www.realfredhammond.com
For the New York politician, see Fred W. Hammond.
Frederick William Hammond (born December 27, 1960) is a gospel singer, bass guitar player, and record producer.
Musical career
Hammond has been active both as a member of the gospel performing group Commissioned, and as a solo artist (currently for Verity Records). He is a multiple Grammy-, Dove-,Stellar-award winner and nominee as a performer, producer and writer.
Hammond first gained recognition while playing bass guitar for the gospel group The Winans. By 1985 he was one of the six original members of the group Commissioned, participating in 10 of the group’s 12 albums.
After his time with Commissioned ended, he regained fame in the gospel community after selling millions of albums with his musical group Radical For Christ.
In 2002 Hammond returned to the group Commissioned (now with members Keith Staten, Marvin Sapp, Mitchell Jones, Karl Reid, Michael Williams, and Marcus Cole) to produce the Commissioned Reunion Live album.
Hammond produced Make Me Like The Moon, a stirring gospel ballad co-written by Chanté Moore and Kenny Lattimore for their 2006 double-CD of gospel and R&B love songs entitled Uncovered/Covered (released October 10, 2006 by LaFace/Verity/Zomba Music Group). He also performs with Sean Combs on the album Thank You.
Personal life
Hammond has two children who have appeared on his 2009 album, Love Unstoppable. Hammond divorced his wife of 18 years, Kim, in 2004, and he currently resides in Cedar Hill, Texas.
Hammond revealed on the Donnie McClurkin Show that his mother confessed to him three months before she died that she had attempted to have him aborted. The procedure, done in 1960, before abortions were legal, failed. Hammond’s mother returned for a second attempt but decided against the procedure; Hammond was later born in December 1960.