Cynthia Clawson, born October 11, 1948, in Houston, Texas, is an American gospel singer who began performing at age three in her father's church. She graduated from Howard Payne University in 1970 and gained prominence after headlining the CBS Newcomers show in 1971, which led to a recording contract with Buryl Red. Clawson released several albums, including In the Garden (1974), The Way I Feel (1977), and A Private Showing (1980). In 1981, she won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary Or Inspirational for "The Lord's Prayer" with Andrae Crouch. Her rendition of "Softly and Tenderly" was featured in the soundtrack of the Academy Award-winning movie The Trip to Bountiful in 1985. Clawson has received five Dove Awards and fifteen nominations, along with an honorary degree from Howard Payne University in 2007.
