OBITUARY Gospel Star Troy Sneed Dies at 52 Due to COVID-19

Grammy nominated gospel singer Troy Sneed passed away early on Monday morning (April 27) due to coronavirus complications. He was 52 years old.

The Perry, Florida, native launched his music career at Florida A&M University, where he studied education with a minor in music. He soon joined the school's choir, and after he graduated, Savoy Records executive Rev. Milton Biggham offered him a position as the Georgia Mass Choir's Assistant Minister of Music. During his time there, he traveled with the choir, arranged music on their albums and appeared with them in the Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston 1996 film, The Preacher's Wife.

Youth for Christ’s 1999 album, Higher, earned Sneed a Grammy nomination in 2000.

Sneed also had an impressive history on the Billboard charts. Seven of his albums hit the Top Gospel Albums chart, including A State of Worship, In His Presence, In Due Season, My Heart Says Yes, All Is Well, Awesome God and Taking It Back.

10 of his uplifting tunes hit the Hot Gospel Songs chart, half of which were in the top 10 including "Hallelujah," "Work It Out," "My Heart Says Yes," "Lay It Down" and "Kept by His Grace."

He was also no stranger to the Gospel Airplay chart, with 13 placements from 2006 - 2018. "Work It Out" hit No. 2 on the chart dated September 13, 2008.

Upon the news of Sneed's death, music distribution company GoDigiPath released a statement that read, "With great regret, we at GoDigiPath, LLC are literally stunned, deeply and extremely saddened as we have lost a beloved colleague and dear friend."

"Words truly cannot express our sorrow regarding an innocent life taken WAY TOO SOON due to Covid19! Please pray for Emily (Sneed), the kids ‎and the extended family/loved ones of our tragically departed brother, Troy Sneed... " the statement continues. "He is missed, beyond words as our hearts are broken well beyond all understanding!"

Additionally, the gospel community and Sneed's friends flooded social media with messages of mourning and prayer. See some of the posts below.

The Gospel community has lost a superb talent in Troy Sneed. Keep his wife, family, friends and everyone who was blessed by his music in prayer! https://t.co/zlCkm2RSnJ #TroySneed #RIP #Prayers pic.twitter.com/Ho9fTZa8RN — Kurt Carr (@TheKurtCarr) April 27, 2020