Background
Andrus began in gospel music by singing with his mother"s gospel group in his boyhood hometown of Mermentau, Louisiana.
Andrus began in gospel music by singing with his mother"s gospel group in his boyhood hometown of Mermentau, Louisiana.
He has been a very prolific artist who has been involved in one way or another with thirty gospel albums to date. Andrus continued his association with Crouch as he formed the popular contemporary Christian music act Andrae Crouch and the Disciples in 1964. That group would not only gain notoriety within the gospel music field for merging funkier rhythms with the gospel message but a measure of fame outside of gospel fandom with an appearance on late night television"s The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Andrus would tour with the group through 1970.
Andrus joined The Imperials in February 1972, replacing the departing Greg Gordon. He recorded as co-lead singer along with Terry Blackwood for their albums Imperials (1972),Imperials Live (1973),Follow the Manitoba with the Music (1974),Grammy winning Number Shortage (1975), and Just Because (1976) before joining Blackwood in a new duo Andrus, Blackwood and Company.
That pairing would release six albums from 1977 to 1984. Andrus began a solo career in 1986 which continues today.
In 1997 he joined the tour Elvis: The Concert, sponsored by Elvis Presley Enterprises, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Elvis"s death.
Andrus and other original musicians and backing singers appeared alongside a live recording of Presley to attempt to mimic a 1970s era live Presley appearance. Together they have written all of the songs on both of their releases with the most current, "A Servant"s Heart," in 2013. They are currently touring and writing music for their third album scheduled for release in 2015.
On April 2, 1998, Sherman Andrus was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, both as a member of The Imperials as well as a founding member of Andrae Crouch And The Disciples.