"I'm in the fourth quarter of my life, and I’m doing everything I can to be the best humanitarian and best person that I can be."

• Born Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams on Oct. 13, 1938, in Durham, North Carolina
   
• Shirley Caesar is often referred to as the First Lady of Gospel. She recorded in the 1960s with the esteemed gospel group the Caravans, and launched a solo career in 1966 with the album My Testimony. Caesar has created an iconic body of work through the decades that includes such powerfully affecting recordings as "Faded Rose," "I Remember Mama" and "Rejoice."
   
• She won her first GRAMMY for 1971 for Best Soul Gospel Performance for her cover of "Put Your Hand In The Hand Of The Man From Galilee."
   
• At the 38th GRAMMY Awards, she made her debut on the GRAMMY stage as part of a gospel tribute, singing a medley with Whitney Houston and CeCe Winans.
   
• Caesar became a viral sensation in 2016 when a remixed clip of her performing "Hold My Mule" was released before Thanksgiving and inspired the U Name it challenge.
   
• In 2017 Caesar received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Recording Academy. 
   
• Caesar founded the Shirley Caesar Outreach Ministries to serve the neglected and those in need in the Raleigh-Durham community.