Ruth Fortson & Color of Praise are on:

In 1980, Ruth Coleman formed a singing group called Ruth Coleman and the Coleman singers. They sung at revivals and musicals. They were becoming very popular. Ruth was again singing for the Lord.  There was something special about the Coleman Singers; they were a multicultural singing group. There were singers from all nationalities and walks of life.

Ruth and the Coleman Singers continued to sing.  They were growing.  They were becoming even more popular.  By 1981, there were 32 Coleman Singers. The group had caught the eye of Betty Green, the Vice-President of Talent for K-3080 Records.  Mrs. Green was interested in singing the group. Ruth was hesitant. She prayed about it. She signed with Mo'Sound Gospel on December 12, 1981.

Ruth and the Coleman Singers did not record an album until 1984. The group was having trouble finding songs that suited the group. None of the writers at Mo'Sound could find songs that fit the group. They were not a traditional choir. They sung praise and worship music.  None of the writers that were on the Mo'Sound Gospel staff had written any praise and worship songs.

One night while Evg. Fortson was preaching, Ruth was inspired to write a song by the sermon that Evg. Fortson was preaching.  She went home and wrote the song. She called Evg. Fortson and sung the song to him over the phone.  As she was singing to Evg. Fortson, she heard, "Color of Praise." She presented the song to the Coleman Singers. They went into the studio and recorded the song. Ruth let Betty Green listen to the song. She liked it.  The executives at Mo'Sound Gospel did not like the song because it was not the traditional style of choir music, which they thought the group was. After this incident, eleven members left the group.  Thirty-eight members remained.

Ruth and the Coleman Singers continued to sing.  She felt that the name of the group needed to be changed since her name was no longer Coleman.  Again, she heard, "Color of Praise."  She presented the name to the group and it was accepted. The motto for the group became, "It doesn't matter what color you are, you can still praise God." In 1983, Ruth went to Betty Green and demanded that the choir either record an album or be released from their contract. Betty knew that Ruth was serious. The executives were still unsure of how to proceed with Ruth Fortson and Color of Praise (COP). They told Betty to tell Ruth that if they could come up with 12 or more songs, the group could release an album.

Ruth began to work on the songs for the group. She had written four songs.  She needed help writing the other songs. Ruth was introduced to a singer/songwriter named DM Adkins.  DM Adkins wrote seven songs for Ruth and COP.  A friend of DM Adkins by the name of Detroit Samples wrote two songs for Ruth and COP.  Betty, Detroit, and DM Adkins produced the songs for the group. The album was wonderful. It took some convincing, but the executives finally released the album.  The album was an instant hit.

From that moment on, Ruth Fortson and COP have been a success. The group travels all over singing at concerts, conferences, and revivals.

The current membership of the choir is 150.  The group has a twenty-five member band.  The group follows Psalms 150, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."

Ruth Fortson and Color of Praise have released five albums on the Mo'Sound Gospel label. All of the albums have been popular.

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