Mary Mary is a female American urban contemporary gospel duo composed of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell (born April 29, 1972) and Trecina Atkins-Campbell (born May 1, 1974). Formed in 1998, Mary Mary was launched into mainstream recognition following the release of their best-selling debut album, Thankful (2000), which contained the hit single "Shackles (Praise You)". Their followup album Incredible (2002), reached number one on the Top Gospel Albums chart. Their self-titled third album, Mary Mary (2005), which contains themes the public interpreted as a channel to the group's experience,. That album also contains the worldwide hits "Heaven", "The Real Party", and "Yesterday".
Their fourth album The Sound (2008) spawned the number-one singles "Get Up" and "God in Me". In 2011, they released their fifth studio album "Something Big" and followed up with a compilation album "Go Get It" in 2012 before going on hiatus. In March 2012, they premiered their own television series, Mary Mary, on WE tv.
Mary Mary has sold more than eight million records worldwide to date. The duo have been nominated for eleven Grammy Awards, winning four times including once Best Gospel Performance and for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. The duo are often credited for broadening the fan base of urban contemporary gospel in the 2000s by introducing elements of soul music, hip hop, funk and jazz. The group's name is inspired by two famous Marys from the Bible: Mary, mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene. They also performed at the White House in 2005.
Early years
The Atkins sisters, born Erica Monique and Trecina Evette, grew up in a large family with seven siblings in Inglewood, California. Their mother, Thomasina Atkins, is an evangelist and choir director at the Church of God in Christ. Their father, Eddie A. Atkins, was also a member of the Church of God in Christ, and a youth counselor, before he died in 2013.
Due to their proximity in age, the two sisters grew up closer to one another than to any of their siblings: Darrell Atkins (born 1965, the only living boy – the second boy died as a child), Maliea Atkins (born 1967), Erica (born 1972), Tina (born 1974), Delisa Atkins-Brown (born 1977), Thomasina Atkins (born 1978), Alana Atkins-Jamison (born 1985), and Shanta Atkins (born 1986). Later, they would work creatively with over half of their siblings; Thomasina, Alana, Delisa and Shanta Atkins all sing background on Mary Mary's albums and during stage performances and Delisa was originally a member of the group but left before they started recording professionally due to pursuing college. Eventually, all eight Atkins children united on the Bobby Jones Gospel show on BET.
During this time, Erica and Trecina entered the world of church choirs, traveling gospel shows, and television productions. The sisters enrolled at El Camino College to study voice. There they encountered the division between rigorous academic study of music versus the popular musical world. "We had to study classical and sing arias, which was fine," Erica told Times, "but the teachers would tell us if we sang anything else it would damage our instrument." In 1995 the two toured with Michael Matthews' traveling gospel shows, Mama I'm Sorry and Sneaky. Each sister subsequently toured as a backup singer for a variety of R&B acts, including Brandy.
Career
1999–2001: Thankful
After meeting producer Warryn Campbell, a publishing deal was reached with music conglomerate EMI. This led to a series of their songs being on movie soundtracks; they wrote "Dance" and performed it with Robin S. for the soundtrack to the 1998 film Dr. Dolittle, they performed "Let Go, Let God" for The Prince of Egypt, and several of their songs were recorded by 702. However, the sister's profile really started to rise in the gospel industry when their songs "Time To Change" and "Yeah" were recorded by Yolanda Adams on Mountain High... Valley Low. During this time, Mary Mary as a musical entity formed.