Phil Tarver is a contemporary gospel musician and pastor based in Chicago. After spending several years singing for Michael Houston & Ministre, and recording with groups such as Shekinah Glory Ministry and Walt Whitman & the Soul Children of Chicago, he made his solo debut with Draw Nearer on Kingdom Records in 2007. The live worship LP reached number 14 on Billboard's Gospel Albums chart and produced the Top 20 gospel hit "Better Than That." He followed it a year later with the studio LP Be Pleased on the same label. Tarver climbed to number four on the Hot Gospel Albums chart with 2010's Place of Worship, which was released on audio and video formats. "God Is Able" returned him to the gospel songs Top 20. His fourth full-length, Sweet Spirit, followed in 2012. Continuing to sing in conjunction with pastoring, he was with Illinois' United Faith Center Ministries International when he performed in Liberia in 2017. ~ Marcy Donelson