Mary Mary

ontemporary gospel duo Mary Mary—sisters Erica and Trecina Atkins-Campbell—broke through in 1999 when gospel legend Yolanda Adams recorded two of their songs. ∙ The duo crossed over to the pop world on their debut single, 1999’s “Shackles (Praise You),” which reached the Top 40 on four different Billboard charts, including R&B and Dance. ∙ Their million-selling debut LP, 2000’s Thankful, won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. ∙ Beginning in 2007, the Campbells served as judges on BET’s gospel music competition show, Sunday Best, and from 2012 to 2017 they also starred in the reality show Mary Mary. ∙ Billboard named their fifth release, 2008’s The Sound, that year’s Top Gospel Album after it logged 55 weeks on the magazine’s albums chart. ∙ In 2010, they won four Stellar Awards, including Song of the Year for their smash “God in Me,” beating out such superstars as Hezekiah Walker and Donald Lawrence. ∙ All five of Mary Mary’s studio albums have gone Gold or Platinum in the US.