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Gospel music legend Rance Allen dies at 71

Rance Allen, a Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee perhaps best known for his hit “Some­thing About the Name Jesus,” died on October 31 at the age of 71.

A five-time Gram­­my nominee, Allen formed the Rance Allen Group in 1969 with two of his brothers, Thomas and Steve. They released their first gospel album in 1971 after catching the attention of a Detroit music promoter and signing with Gospel Truth, a subsidiary of Stax Records.

As the lead vocalist for the group, Allen was widely praised for his vocal range, and the group became known for incorporating rock, soul, and R&B with traditional Black gospel music. They performed with a number of gospel greats, including Andraé Crouch, Marvin Winans, BeBe and CeCe Winans, Kirk Franklin, and more. The group also performed for President Barack Obama in 2015 at an event celebrating the history of gospel music.