From Classroom to Royal Stage: 30 Years of Alabaster Box
For three decades, gospel Acapella group Alabaster Box has been in the game — steady, consistent, and unwavering in its commitment to ministry through music.
As pioneers widely regarded as Ghana’s first mainstream gospel Acapella group, their story is not only worth telling but worth celebrating.
What began in the early 1990s as a small experiment among a few young men in a classroom-based church has grown into a legacy that spans continents, audiences, and accolades.
The journey of Alabaster Box is marked by faith, resilience, and a deliberate refusal to chase fame at the expense of purpose.
Their beginnings were modest. Around 1993, a group of passionate young men started singing together in a small church setting. The turning point came in 1995, when they composed a welcome song for visiting guests from South Africa.
“At the time, we didn’t think of ourselves as anything beyond a church group. But when we composed that welcome song in 1995, we realized this could become something bigger,” the group shared in a recent interview with the Daily Graphic.
The quartet — Samuel Narku Dowuona (Leader), Gideon Allotey (Bass), Horst Ayub (Falsetto), and Michael Allotey (Tenor) — built a brand around tight harmonies, lyrical depth, and what they describe as “word-based” music rooted firmly in scripture.
Unlike many acts who measure success by visibility and glamour, Alabaster Box has consistently downplayed the fame tag, putting ministry above celebrity.
“We started from a very small, classroom-based church. So we don’t see ourselves as big. Sometimes the real impact of our ministry is felt more in smaller places than on big stages. We don’t want churches to feel we are above them. Sometimes people think because we have stood on big platforms, they cannot invite us. We don’t like that,” Samuel Duwuona explained.
Historic Milestones
Big stages, however, did not elude them. One of their most historic moments came in 2003 when they performed at the Commonwealth Day Multi-Faith Observance at Westminster Abbey, singing before Queen Elizabeth II.
The performance, which opened with their signature rooster-themed Welcome song and a rendition of It Is Well, remains etched in their memory.
The group recalls the daunting yet magical experience of singing in the Abbey’s acoustics without microphones.
When the applause followed, it was, in their words, “a surreal experience.”
That royal performance followed their participation in the 2001 Commonwealth People’s Festival in Brisbane, Australia. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, several African acts were unable to attend, and Alabaster Box volunteered to fill additional slots without demanding extra compensation.
“We only needed four working microphones,” they recounted. Their readiness to serve opened unexpected doors, including media attention from the BBC and other international outlets.
Global Reach
Over the years, Alabaster Box has performed across the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia, carrying Ghanaian gospel harmonies to diverse audiences. In the U.S., they have performed at the National Museum of African Art and ministered in churches, sometimes starting from modest gatherings that later translated into larger concerts and album sales.
Despite the international acclaim, humility remains central to their identity. Their approach to growth has always been intentional: minister first, build relationships, and let the music resonate organically.
Their debut album, From Welcome to Goodbye (2002), became a defining project. It earned them nominations for Sleeve Design of the Year at the Ghana Gospel Music Awards, and multiple nominations at the Ghana Music Awards in 2003, including Male Vocal Performance of the Year, Small Group of the Year, and Gospel Song of the Year.
At the Ghana Gospel Music Awards, they won Best Acapella Group of the Year consecutively from 2000 to 2002. In 2008, the MTN Ceval Gospel Music Awards honoured them as Best Acapella Group of the 1990s–2000s.
Distinctive Style
Beyond awards, what sets Alabaster Box apart is their approach to contextualising Acapella music. Recognizing that Acapella in its raw form is Western, they intentionally infused indigenous Ghanaian harmonies into their arrangements.
“If you take what is indigenously someone else’s and try to copy it, you will never do it like them,” they explain. “So we decided to contextualize it — to make it Ghanaian. For younger Acapella groups looking up to us, the lesson is clear: originality and faithfulness to one’s roots matter more than imitation”.
30th Anniversary Concert
It has been three decades of blessing gospel music lovers with their unique style of singing, and patrons are in for a treat as Alabaster Box celebrates its 30th anniversary with a concert today, February 28, at Silicon House, Tesano in Accra.
The 4:00 pm concert, intended to climax the group’s anniversary celebrations this month, promises an unforgettable evening of soul-stirring music.
Fans can expect both classic hits and fresh material, as the group continues to bridge generations with their gospel message.
For us, it’s always been about serving, creating, and remaining faithful to our calling. From a humble classroom to performing before royalty, our journey reflects the passion, perseverance, and the transformative power of faith-filled harmony," Alabaster Box shared.
