KathyLesure

Parallel to finding my footing on my musical journey 🎶 was my “coming of age” story. I was 19 years old, heavily pursuing the choir that I loved, IN love, and not long after that … pregnant with my first child.🤰🏾

In case you wondered what any of this has to do with music, the short answer is: EVERYTHING. This relationship was probably my biggest test and my greatest TESTimony.

More about my baby (babies) in a little bit (💕💕) … but, he (the guy I was involved with), was the one to march up to the Minister-of-Music at Keel Avenue Baptist Church in North Memphis and say “uhhh- hey mane.(😂) My lady can sang and she LUH yo’ q’wy (‘loves your choir’ for the non-country folk 😂) Can you let her audition”.

I stood about five steps behind him and listened as the Minister of Music, Billy Rivers, said “yes” and asked me my name. Then, he introduced himself and told me when/where to come to audition.🙂 My audition song was “Faith That Conquers” by Vanessa Bell Armstrong. I was going through insufferable things in that relationship (🥺) and, though I had very little (😔), I took my mustard seed and sang that song about three times for different people in the same night (😳😬)!! Y’all know I was nervous and about to pass smooth out!! 😂🤣 But …

I MADE THE CHOIR!!! 😃🎼🎶

Making that cut was beyond my wildest expectation at the time! These guys sang SO good!! ❤️🎵🎤 They were SO full of the Holy Ghost!!! 🏃🏽‍♀️💨 💃🏽🕺🏾 I’d followed them around from location to location and watched them in total awe for a couple of years! I never thought I was good enough to sing with them. I never would’ve had the courage to ask to join. But … that fella did. The relationship didn’t work, but the question he asked on my behalf changed my life!!!

Let me wrap this up. I joined right before Choir Anniversary time in the year 1990. The Minister of Music gave me a song to lead right away (😳🫣).

“You Didn’t Give Up On Me” – Rev. Milton Brunson & the Thompson Community Singers (Tina Watson Conley on lead)

“Billy Rivers & The Angelic Voices of Faith” Reunion Choir (2014) Here’s a little clip.🙂