Kristle Murden, also known as Kristle Edwards, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, music producer, vocal coach, author and ordained minister. Murden is best known for her featured solo on the Oscar winning song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" on Disney's animated film, The Lion King. Murden made her professional debut in 1979 singing the duet "I'll Be Thinking of You" with 7-time Grammy Award winner Andraé Crouch, which also featured Stevie Wonder on harmonica. She signed as a solo artist with Light Records, also in 1979. Murden went on to achieve two Grammy nominations of her own. Her solo album I Can't Let Go was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1980. In 1984, she was Grammy nominated for her solo vocal performance for "Jesus Come Lay Your Head on Me" from Andraé Crouch's No Time to Lose album. In 1981 Murden was nominated for a Dove Award for her I Can't Let Go album in the category of Best Soul Black Gospel album. In 1982 Murden earned the Best New Artist Contemporary Award at The Gospel Music Excellence Awards at the annual Gospel Music Workshop of America. She has worked on over 30 film soundtracks, television shows, and major artists' albums as either a featured or backing vocalist. In 2019, Murden published her autobiography titled "It Took a Miracle and Then Some".
Early life
Murden was born December 9, 1956 in Newark, New Jersey. She was the 5th child of Doris B. Legges and Charles H. Murden. At the age of three her family moved to Washington D.C. where she attended West Elementary school, Paul Junior High, Calvin Coolidge High School and McKinley Tech High School. Murden began singing at 4 years old in the youth choir at the First Baptist Church of Annapolis, Maryland. Murden taught herself to read music and to play the piano at age ten. She began writing songs a year later. After enduring a troubled childhood, she became a foster child at 15 years old.
Career
As both a featured soloist and a backing vocalist, Murden has traveled to over thirty countries singing with Crouch. She has performed in Jamaica, Israel, Finland, Sweden, Norway,, the Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Fiji, Australia, England,Canada, France, Ireland, St. Thomas and St. Martin and New Zealand.. Murden was featured on several more of Crouch's albums. Murden performed another duet with Crouch on the "No Time To Lose" album titled "Somebody Somewhere Is Praying" and performed her Grammy nominated solo "Jesus Come Lay your Head on Me" on the same album released in 1984. In 1993 they came together again to record two more duets, "It's Just A Matter of Time" and "Say So" on Crouch's "Mercy" album released in 1994. Murden performed one more duet "He is The Light" with Crouch on his 1996 album "Pray" and another featured solo on "Come Closer". In 1997, Murden was featured with Crouch on the "Oslo Gospel Choir -Live in Paris " recording. Murden shared leads with Crouch on "Perfect Peace", "Soon and Very Soon", and My Tribute" on that project. In 1999, Murden and Crouch performed on "Angels Medley" for his "The Gift of Christmas" album. In October 2000 Murden was featured on "The Great Choirs of America" album on the song, "Do You Need a Miracle". In between these recordings Murden worked as a studio singer on projects for artists such as Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Josh Groban, Ledisi, Clay Aiken, Brandy, Israel Houghton,Christina Aguilera, The Winans, Ronan Keating, CeCe Winans, Disney Greatest Love Songs, Ladies of Gospel, and many more major recording artists. Murden has also worked as an onscreen singer for several television shows. "Mike and Molly", "The Middle", "The Jamie Fox Show", "The Tonight Show", "The Grammy Awards", "Touched by an Angel", "General Hospital", "The Soul Train Music Awards", "The Arsenio Hall Show", and more. She has contributed vocally on movie soundtracks such as "The Lady Killers", where she is featured during the credits, "The Preachers Wife" "The Haunted Mansion" "This is It", "Rent", A Time to Kill, and "Voyage of the Unicorn", to name a few.
Personal life
Murden moved to Tacoma, Washington in December 1978 upon hearing of a music ministry job and an opportunity for a record deal. Between 1980 and 1991 Murden served as the music minister for the Edwards Temple Church of God in Christ Choir in Tacoma.
