Andrae Crouch, the 'father of modern gospel music' recorded by Elvis, Madonna and Michael Jackson, dies

The musician is credited with bringing spiritual to the mainstream

Andraé Crouch, the pioneering gospel musician and composer, has died aged 72.

He had been hospitalised at the Northridge Hospital Medical Center in the Los Angeles area after suffering a heart attack on Saturday.

With a career spanning more than 50 years, the San Francisco native is largely credited as being one of the first to bring church music to mainstream pop.

Dubbed ‘the father of modern gospel music’, he directed the choirs for Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” and Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”.

Elvis Presley famously covered his hit “I’ve Got Confidence” for his 1972 gospel album He Touched Me while Paul Simon recorded the Crouch-penned “Jesus Is The Answer” on Paul Simon in Concert: Live Rhymin' in 1974.

Crouch also worked with Elton John, Quincy Jones, The Commodores, Diana Ross and Ringo Starr, among others.