If you grew up in a Black church or spent any time around gospel music in the 90s, you know that sound. It’s a specific kind of harmony. It’s thick. It’s soulful. It’s unapologetic. We’re talking about The Anointed Pace Sisters. They weren’t just another singing group; they were a literal force of nature comprised of nine sisters from Atlanta who basically rewrote the rules for vocal arrangements in the genre.
Honestly, it’s rare to find that level of raw talent in one single household. Most families are lucky if one kid can carry a tune. The Paces had nine. Led by the late, legendary LaShun Pace—whose voice could quite literally rattle the windows of a cathedral—the sisters created a legacy that still influences every Sunday morning worship leader and R&B star you hear today.
People often forget how revolutionary they were. Before the massive production of modern "Praise and Worship," the Pace Sisters were blending traditional Pentecostal fervor with sophisticated, jazz-inflected harmonies. It was church, but it was also art.
The Atlanta Roots and the Power of Nine
To understand The Anointed Pace Sisters, you have to understand Murphy and June Pace. They raised their children in a home where music wasn't a hobby. It was life. The sisters—Duranice, Phyllis, June, Melonda, DeJuaii, Leslie, Latrice, and Lydia, alongside LaShun—didn't just start in the choir stand. They started in the living room.
They officially hit the scene in the late 80s, but the 1992 album U-Know was the real game-changer. It stayed on the Billboard Gospel charts for over a year. Think about that for a second. In an era where physical CDs were everything, they held the attention of the country for fifty-plus weeks.
It wasn't just the singing. It was the presence. Duranice Pace, the eldest, had a testimony that could stop a heart. She often spoke about surviving thyroid cancer and being told she’d never speak again, only to stand on stage and belt out notes that felt like they were coming straight from a divine source. That’s the thing about the Paces—you weren’t just hearing a song. You were witnessing a survival story set to music.
What Most People Get Wrong About the "Anointed" Label
Sometimes, "anointed" feels like a buzzword people throw around in gospel circles when they like a singer's vibrato. But with The Anointed Pace Sisters, it was a technical reality. They had this uncanny ability to shift keys mid-song without losing the pocket.
If you listen to tracks like "When God Is in the Building" or "Be My Guest," the vocal stacking is insane. It’s not just soprano, alto, and tenor. It’s nine distinct voices finding the "blue notes" and the dissonant chords that make your hair stand up.
A lot of listeners think they were just a background group for LaShun. That’s a mistake. While LaShun Pace was undoubtedly the breakout star—her solo hit "I Know I've Been Changed" is arguably one of the most famous gospel songs of all time—the group functioned as a unit. When they sang together, the wall of sound was impenetrable. It was a masterclass in ensemble singing.
The Tragedy and the Triumph
You can't talk about this family without talking about the loss. The last few years have been heavy. We lost Duranice in early 2021, and LaShun followed in 2022. It felt like a tectonic shift in the gospel world. When those pillars fall, you realize just how much they were holding up.
But even in grief, the sisters showed a level of transparency that most celebrities shy away from. They were open about their health struggles, their weight, and their family dynamics. They weren't trying to be "perfect" icons. They were real women from Georgia who just happened to have the best voices in the world.
That authenticity is why they transitioned so well into the digital age. Long after their peak chart years, clips of Duranice singing for Steve Harvey or the sisters harmonizing in a kitchen went viral. Why? Because you can’t fake that.
The Technical Brilliance of the Pace Harmony
Let’s get nerdy for a minute. Most vocal groups use standard three-part harmony. It’s safe. It works. The Anointed Pace Sisters used what musicians call "cluster voicings."
Because there were so many of them, they could fill in the gaps that a trio can’t. They would have three sisters on the lead melody, three on a tight internal harmony, and three providing a bass-heavy foundation. It created a frequency response that felt "big" even without a band.
- Dynamic Range: They could go from a whisper to a shout in four bars.
- Rhythmic Precision: They sang like a percussion section. The way they hit their consonants—the "t's" and "k's"—was always perfectly synced.
- Vocal Texture: You had the raspy, soulful grit of Duranice clashing beautifully with the piercing, clear soprano of the younger sisters.
Why Their Music Still Matters in 2026
Gospel music has changed. A lot. It’s more "pop" now. It’s more polished. There’s a lot of auto-tune.
But when people want to feel something real, they go back to The Anointed Pace Sisters. They represent a bridge between the old-school spirituals and the modern gospel industry. They proved that you could be "churchy" and sophisticated at the same time.
If you look at artists like PJ Morton or Tye Tribbett, you can hear the Pace DNA. You hear it in the way they arrange their background singers. You hear it in the "call and response" sections that feel more like a conversation than a performance. The Paces taught an entire generation that your voice is an instrument, and you should play it with everything you’ve got.
How to Experience Their Legacy Today
If you’re new to them, don’t just stick to the hits. Go find the live recordings. That’s where the magic is. The My Purpose album is a great place to start, but honestly, just watching their old Bobby Jones Gospel appearances will tell you everything you need to know.
The way they stood in a semi-circle. The way they watched each other for cues. It was a lesson in sisterhood. They fought, they laughed, and they sang through the pain.
Practical Next Steps for Fans and Musicians
To truly appreciate the impact of The Anointed Pace Sisters, you have to engage with the music beyond just casual listening.
- Study the Lead-Follow Dynamic: Watch videos of LaShun leading the group. Notice how she gives the sisters "the look" when it’s time to swell the volume. For any aspiring vocal director, this is the gold standard of communication.
- Support the Family’s Current Ventures: Many of the surviving sisters are still active in ministry and music. Following their individual social media pages—particularly Lydia and Latrice—is the best way to keep up with new projects and tributes.
- Listen for the Influence: Next time you hear a major vocal arrangement in a contemporary R&B or Gospel track, listen for those tight, nine-part-style clusters. You’ll start to hear the Pace Sisters everywhere.
- Preserve the History: Use platforms like YouTube and digital archives to share their performances. In a world of fleeting TikTok trends, the sustained excellence of a group like this deserves to be archived and celebrated by the next generation of vocalists.
The story isn't over. As long as there's a choir rehearsal somewhere in the world trying to figure out how to hit a certain chord, the Paces are in the room. They weren't just a group; they were the blueprint.