Gospel star Daryl Coley dies aged 60

GOSPEL SINGER Daryl Coley died on 15th March at age 60, reportedly in hospice care.
Born in Berkley, California on 30th October 1955, Coley spent his formative years in Oakland, California. As a child he learnt to play keyboards and clarinet and by 1977 he was playing keyboards for the extremely popular Hawkins Family. He wrote "I Am Determined" which became a hit for Tramaine Hawkins. In 1983 Coley performed for a while with the Rev James Cleveland and the following year Coley was singing background vocals on albums by acts like Sylvester, Nancy Wilson and Ramsey Lewis. In 1986 Coley's album 'Just Daryl' for Plumbline Records reached the gospel Top 10 and earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Male Gospel Soul Vocalist. After an album for Light Records it was Coley's association with Sparrow Records which took him to the top of the gospel music tree. Albums like 'He's Right On Time', 'When The Music Stops' and others received extensive radio play across the US. In the early 1990s, Coley was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes which caused him temporary blindness, but he still kept performing and recording. His last album was 'Praise And Worship', released in 2006. His career was celebrated in January 2014 by BMI as part of their 15th annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards in Nashville.