The sisters weren ’t always on the same page about their singing aspirations: Erica first dreamed of being a singer at age two plagued by shyness, Tina was a little slower to pursue the dream. Gospel music was the only music allowed in the house, and both women cite gospel acts like Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, and the Clark Sisters among their leading influences. ” The family didn ’t have much money, but they were very religious and musical -the Atkins children made up most of the choir ’s soprano section. “When we weren ’t in church, we were at school, and when we weren ’t sleeping, we were at church. “We ’re preacher ’s kids, born and raised in church, basically seven days a week, ” the sisters said in an interview on the Trinity Broadcasting Network website. Their father, Eddie Atkins, was a preacher and their mother, Thomasina, played piano and was a choir director in their church. The Atkins sisters grew up in Inglewood, near Los Angeles, in a large family -they have five other sisters and one brother. “I just never knew I ’d be doing it at this level. “Music has been in my heart for long time, so I knew I ’d have a career in it, ” Erica said in an interview with. Their second album, Incredible, was released in 2002. Their first album, Thankful, won a slew of awards for the duo, including a Grammy. After working as backup singers and songwriters for leading R&B acts, the Atkins sisters struck out on their own. Sisters Erica and Tina Atkins make up the gospel duo Mary Mary, which has broken the gospel barrier and found mainstream success.