NABJ members lift their voices in inaugural gospel choir
By Mashaun d. simon Monitor Staff
Gospel music can bridge boundaries, bringing people together. The inaugural NABJ Coast-to-Coast Workshop Choir embodies this genre, uniting 50 NABJers from all over the country.
The choir opens for the award-winning gospel artist Donnie McClurkin at the annual convention Gospel Brunch at 9 a.m. Sunday in the Landmark Ballroom. BET Nightly News anchor Jacque Reid is scheduled to emcee.
Michelle Starr of M Strategies Inc. in Dallas organized the choir after she and longtime NABJ member LaMont Jones listened to gospel stars Take 6 at last year's Gospel Brunch in Milwaukee. The two sat next to each other and sang along with the group.
"We looked at each other in astonishment and began talking," Starr said. They learned that each had started praise teams at their respective churches.
Both sing and were acquainted with some NABJers who have impressive voices. "I mentioned to Michelle that it would be a good idea if some NABJ members could pull together a praise team to open the gospel brunch," Jones said.
Starr responded: "Why not a whole choir?" Starr will perform with the choir, but Jones will be on a cruise and miss the introductory performance.
There are big expectations for the choir.
Mike Woolfolk, NABJ vice president-broadcast and the convention chairman, said of the choir: "It should prove to be a major highlight of the convention. Members should find this year's brunch to be the spiritually uplifting finale they've come to expect and enjoy over the years."
Jones said, "Maybe one day, this will grow to the degree that we can use the choir every year."
Starr agrees, but she has even more ambitious plans. She envisions a choir that could become a goodwill ambassador for NABJ.
"The possibilities are endless,'' she said. "The choir could be used to open conventions in the future, maybe even visit other non-NABJ conventions on the behalf of the organization."
The Gospel Brunch is the second most-attended event of the national convention, Starr said. The NABJ gospel choir also will lure the curious, she said.
Dr. Charles Mitchell, a nationally known songwriter and arranger, has created a medley of gospel favorites for the NABJ choir. Mitchell is president of the Dallas chapter of Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) and an officer in the Dallas chapter of the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM).
The two organizations are committed to preserving African-American music. NANM focuses on all genres of black compositions, and GMWA concentrates solely on gospel music. NANM musicians will rehearse with the NABJ choir this week.
The choir also has attracted some new sponsors, including St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas, Sister 2 Sister Magazine and Elite News in Dallas.
Mashaun D. Simon can be reached at mashunnabj@hotmail.com.
