William David McDowell (born August 31, 1976) is an American gospel musician, worship leader, pastor, and author from Cincinnati, Ohio. He serves as the Lead Pastor of Deeper Fellowship Church in Orlando, Florida, and is one of the most respected voices in contemporary live worship music. Known for anthems like “I Give Myself Away,” “Withholding Nothing,” and “Spirit Break Out,” McDowell has released six studio albums — all of which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart — and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Album at the 57th Grammy Awards. He is married to LaTae McDowell and is the father of five children.
Important note: William McDowell the gospel pastor is a different person from the William “Billy” McDowell who is married to soul legend Gladys Knight. The two men share a name but are not the same individual. See the FAQ section for full clarification.[IMAGE: William McDowell pastor Deeper Fellowship Church Orlando worship]
William McDowell – At a Glance
| Full Name | William David McDowell |
|---|---|
| Born | August 31, 1976 — Cincinnati, Ohio, USA |
| Age | 49 (as of August 2026) |
| Nationality | American |
| Parents | Lewis McDowell (father); Pauline McDowell (mother) |
| Spouse | LaTae McDowell (m. May 2010) |
| Children | Five — Joshua, Olivia, Caleb, Joy, Judah |
| Occupation | Pastor, Gospel Musician, Worship Leader, Author |
| Church | Deeper Fellowship Church, Orlando, Florida (Lead Pastor) |
| Education | Full Sail University — Entertainment Business; Recording Arts |
| Labels | Entertainment One Music |
| Genres | Contemporary Gospel, Praise & Worship |
| Grammy Nominations | 1 — Best Gospel Album (Withholding Nothing, 57th Grammy Awards) |
| Net Worth | Estimated $2M–$3M (2025) |
Early Life: Cincinnati Roots and a Gift That Showed Early
William McDowell was born on August 31, 1976 in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Lewis McDowell and Pauline McDowell, who both originally came from North Carolina. His family was rooted in church life, and music became his first language almost before he could speak in full sentences.
He began playing piano at the age of five. By thirteen, he was playing drums for his church. At sixteen, he shifted to the organ. And by eighteen, he was already leading worship — standing before a congregation and directing their encounter with God. That kind of early progression isn’t common. It pointed somewhere.
He sang in the choir at age ten. He built relationships early with pastors, speakers, and worship leaders from across the United States — the kind of network that takes most people decades to develop. McDowell built it in his teens and twenties through genuine spiritual hunger and consistent presence at the intersection of music and ministry.
Education: Full Sail University and the Delivery Room
Around the age of 24, McDowell relocated to Orlando, Florida, where he enrolled at Full Sail University — a well-regarded school for music production and entertainment. He eventually earned two degrees there: one in Entertainment Business and one in Recording Arts. That dual qualification — part ministry, part business, part technical craft — shaped how he approached his music career.
After graduating, he founded The Delivery Room, a recording studio in Orlando that hosted sessions connected to several Grammy-winning projects. It was a serious operation. He ran it well. But eventually, a different calling took precedence. He closed the studio to establish Deeper Fellowship Church — a decision that said everything about his priorities.[IMAGE: William McDowell Deeper Fellowship Church Orlando Florida]
Ministry: Deeper Fellowship Church and Pastoral Calling
William McDowell’s pastoral journey began in earnest in 2006, when he accepted a worship leader position at The Gathering Place in Lake Mary, Florida. He came under the mentorship of pastor Sam Hinn, who helped shape his understanding of how worship and pastoral care fit together. In 2007, he was ordained as a pastor.
He later founded Deeper Fellowship Church in Orlando — a congregation whose mission is exactly what the name suggests: cultivating a deeper fellowship with God and with each other. He leads worship there every Sunday as Lead Pastor, and the church’s culture of live, spontaneous worship has become part of what defines both the congregation and his musical output.
Earlier in his career, he was also mentored by Ron Kenoly, the veteran gospel worship leader whose influence on live praise and worship music runs deep. Kenoly served as a kind of musical director figure, helping McDowell understand that leading people into the presence of God was a craft, not just a gift.
Music Career: Six #1 Albums and a Grammy Nomination
William McDowell’s recording career began with a willingness to capture something most studio albums don’t — the raw, unscripted texture of real worship. His records have almost always been live, and deliberately so. The goal has never been a polished performance. It has been an honest encounter.
As We Worship Live (2009) — The Beginning
His debut, As We Worship Live, was released through Entertainment One Music in 2009. The two-CD set landed at #3 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart and also charted on the Independent Albums and Heatseekers charts. For a debut live worship record with no major radio push, it was a strong statement.
Arise (2011) — The First #1
Arise: The Live Worship Experience was recorded on December 10, 2010 at the Christian Life Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before a live congregation. It featured guest worship leaders including David & Nicole Binion, Josh Dufrene, Martha Munizzi, and Mary Alessi. The album topped the Billboard Gospel chart and also made its first appearance on the Billboard 200. It was the moment McDowell moved from “rising voice” to confirmed force in gospel worship music.
Withholding Nothing (2013) — Grammy Nominated
Recorded with 2,000 worshipers present, Withholding Nothing was unlike anything that had been released in contemporary gospel at that point. The recording captured something difficult to manufacture: a room full of people genuinely letting go. The album reached the Top 30 of the Billboard 200 — rare territory for a gospel record — and earned McDowell a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. It was also nominated at the 30th Stellar Awards for Traditional CD of the Year, and McDowell received a nomination for Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year.
“It was created as a testimony — to open wide the door for a new generation to witness the manifestation of God’s presence among his people.” — William McDowell on Withholding Nothing
Sounds of Revival (2016) and Sounds of Revival II (2017)
Both albums debuted at #1 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart. Sounds of Revival was the first in a two-part project that captured the worship culture of Deeper Fellowship Church at its most expansive. The Dove Award recognition that followed confirmed that the wider Christian music industry was paying attention.
The Cry: A Live Worship Experience (2019)
His fifth studio project tied together the story of Deeper Fellowship Church with a book called It’s Happening and an album that documented a community of worshipers moving together in pursuit of God’s presence. By this point, McDowell had been named one of Billboard’s Top Ten Gospel Artists of the Decade — a recognition of sustained impact, not just a single breakout season.
Personal Life: Wife LaTae and Five Children
William McDowell married LaTae McDowell in May 2010. They have five children together: Joshua, Olivia, Caleb, Joy, and Judah. The family lives outside Orlando, Florida.
McDowell has been candid about the tension between creative solitude and family life. During the recording of his earlier albums, he had the luxury of extended time alone to pray, listen, and write. By the time he was working on Sounds of Revival, he was a husband and father of three — and the alone time that had once felt ordinary had become precious and rare. He described fatherhood not as an obstacle to ministry but as a deepening of it: you can’t write honestly about perseverance and surrender without living them at home first.
Notable Songs
| Song | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I Give Myself Away | As We Worship Live (2009) | One of the most covered contemporary worship anthems; widely sung in churches globally |
| Withholding Nothing | Withholding Nothing (2013) | Title track; Grammy nominated album |
| Spirit Break Out | Various | Widely recognized worship anthem |
| The Cry | The Cry (2019) | Title track from his fifth studio album |
Full Discography
| Year | Title | Label | Chart Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | As We Worship Live | Entertainment One Music | #3 Billboard Gospel Albums; Independent Albums; Heatseekers Albums |
| 2011 | Arise: The Live Worship Experience | Entertainment One Music | #1 Billboard Gospel Albums; Billboard 200; Grammy nominated |
| 2013 | Withholding Nothing | Entertainment One Music | #1 Billboard Gospel Albums; Top 30 Billboard 200; Grammy nominated |
| 2016 | Sounds of Revival | Entertainment One Music | #1 Billboard Gospel Albums; Dove Award winning |
| 2017 | Sounds of Revival II | Entertainment One Music | #1 Billboard Gospel Albums |
| 2019 | The Cry: A Live Worship Experience | Entertainment One Music | Top Gospel Albums |
Awards and Recognition
| Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 57th Grammy Awards | Best Gospel Album — Withholding Nothing | Nominated |
| 30th Stellar Awards | Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year; Traditional CD of the Year — Withholding Nothing | Nominated |
| GMA Dove Awards | Various categories — Sounds of Revival | Nominated / Won |
| ASCAP Songwriting Awards | Gospel songwriting | Won (multiple) |
| Billboard Gospel Music Award | Top Ten Gospel Artists of the Decade | Recognized |
Career Timeline
- 1976 — Born August 31 in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Lewis and Pauline McDowell
- Age 5 — Begins playing piano
- Age 10 — Joins church choir
- Age 13 — Playing drums for his church
- Age 16 — Shifts to organ
- Age 18 — Begins leading worship sessions
- c.2001 — Relocates to Orlando, Florida; enrolls at Full Sail University
- Post-graduation — Founds The Delivery Room recording studio in Orlando; hosts Grammy-winning sessions
- 2006 — Accepts worship leader position at The Gathering Place, Lake Mary, FL; mentored by Sam Hinn
- 2007 — Ordained as a pastor
- 2009 — Closes The Delivery Room; founds Deeper Fellowship Church; releases debut album As We Worship Live (#3 Billboard Gospel)
- 2010 — Marries LaTae McDowell (May)
- 2011 — Releases Arise; hits #1 Billboard Gospel and Billboard 200
- 2013 — Releases Withholding Nothing; Grammy nominated; Top 30 Billboard 200
- 2016 — Releases Sounds of Revival; #1 Billboard Gospel; Dove Award recognition
- 2017 — Releases Sounds of Revival II; #1 Billboard Gospel
- 2019 — Releases The Cry; named Billboard Top Ten Gospel Artist of the Decade
Interesting Facts About William McDowell
- He founded a recording studio — The Delivery Room — that hosted Grammy-winning projects for other artists, then closed it to start a church. Ministry over business, every time.
- He has led live worship for congregations of up to 2,000 people at a time — and those recordings are what his albums capture. You’re not hearing studio polish. You’re hearing a room full of people at the edge of something.
- All six of his studio albums debuted at #1 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart. That kind of consistency across six records is not an accident.
- His children’s names — Joshua, Olivia, Caleb, Joy, Judah — are a roll call of biblical names and themes: courage, life, faithfulness, joy, praise.
- He earned his Entertainment Business and Recording Arts degrees from Full Sail University — the same institution known for training music producers and audio engineers, not typically pastors.
- His mentor Ron Kenoly was one of the most influential worship leaders of the 1990s. The musical DNA that Kenoly passed to McDowell shows up in every McDowell record — the unhurried pace, the room for God to move, the refusal to rush the moment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is William McDowell a pastor?
Yes. William McDowell is the Lead Pastor of Deeper Fellowship Church in Orlando, Florida. He was ordained as a pastor in 2007 and founded Deeper Fellowship Church after closing his recording studio. He leads worship at the church every Sunday alongside his national and international music ministry.
Does William McDowell have children?
Yes. William McDowell and his wife LaTae have five children: Joshua, Olivia, Caleb, Joy, and Judah. They live outside Orlando, Florida.
Who is William McDowell married to?
The gospel pastor and musician William McDowell is married to LaTae McDowell. They married in May 2010.
What is William McDowell’s most popular song?
His most widely recognized song is “I Give Myself Away,” a surrender anthem that has been covered and sung in churches around the world. Other major songs include “Withholding Nothing” and “Spirit Break Out.”
What church does William McDowell pastor?
William McDowell is the Lead Pastor of Deeper Fellowship Church in Orlando, Florida. The church’s mission, as he has described it, is to cultivate a deeper fellowship with God and with one another.
Is William McDowell (gospel singer) the same as Gladys Knight’s husband William McDowell?
No. These are two entirely different people who happen to share the same name. William “Billy” McDowell — Gladys Knight’s husband since April 2001 — is a corporate consultant, community developer, and songwriter from Canton, North Carolina. He and Gladys Knight founded the RHS Community Foundation in Fairview, North Carolina. He is not a recording gospel artist. William David McDowell, the subject of this biography, is a gospel pastor and recording artist from Cincinnati, Ohio, based in Orlando, Florida, married to LaTae McDowell with five children. The two men are unrelated.
What is the age difference between William McDowell and Gladys Knight?
This question refers to Gladys Knight (born May 28, 1944) and her husband William “Billy” McDowell — not the gospel pastor and musician William David McDowell. Gladys Knight is 81 years old as of 2026. The exact birth year of her husband Billy McDowell is not publicly confirmed. The two married in April 2001 after meeting earlier and dating for only three months. This question does not apply to the gospel artist William McDowell, who was born in 1976 and is 49 years old.
What does Gladys Knight’s husband William McDowell do for a living?
Gladys Knight’s husband, William “Billy” McDowell, was a corporate consultant when the couple met in 2001. He is also a songwriter and has co-written several songs with Gladys Knight. Together they founded the RHS Community Foundation in Fairview, North Carolina — a community center built on property near Canton, North Carolina where Billy McDowell grew up. Again — this is a different person from the gospel pastor and recording artist William David McDowell.
