Topic: Donnie McClurkin

Donnie McClurkin (born November 9, 1959 in Amityville, New York) is a Grammy Award-winning American gospel music singer and minister.

McClurkin was born and raised in Amityville, New York. When he was seven years old, his two-year-old brother was hit and killed by a speeding driver. This greatly impacted the McClurkin family.The night of the funeral, McClurkin's uncle raped McClurkin. Domestic violence and drug abuse took hold in the family. At the age of thirteen, McClurkin was again raped, this time by his cousin, his uncle's son.

McClurkin found comfort through an aunt who sang background vocals with gospel music musician Andraé Crouch. After staying close to Crouch throughout his boyhood, he began to play piano and sing with his church youth choir. He formed the McClurkin Singers by the time he was a teenager, and later formed another group, the New York Restoration Choir.