Twila Paris

Twila Paris is a contemporary Christian music artist, pianist, and author whose songs have become staples in church worship. Born Twila Inez Paris Wright on December 28, 1958, in Fort Worth, Texas, she is the daughter of Oren Paris II, a minister and founder of Youth With A Mission ministries, and Rachel Inez Paris, a songwriter. Involved in church music from childhood, she began her professional career as a singer-songwriter in 1981. Over the course of her career, Paris released 26 albums and achieved 33 number-one Christian radio singles. Her compositions, including "He Is Exalted," "Lamb of God," "We Shall Assemble," "God is in Control," and "We Will Glorify," have been included in various church hymnals. She also recorded the song "Faithful Friend." Paris received significant recognition from the Gospel Music Association. She won a Dove Award for Praise and Worship Album of the Year in 1992 for *Sanctuary*. She was named Female Vocalist of the Year for three consecutive years, winning in 1993 and 1994. In 1995, her song "God Is in Control" earned the Dove Award for Song of the Year. In 2015, she was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame.