My wife Benita and I went on a journey bigger than any night out; we attended the 50th anniversary of Greater Cleveland Choral Chapter. We’re grateful to Deacon Kennedy for the invite. The service unfurled at Holy Trinity Baptist Church. Parking felt like a scavenger hunt, and a light rain fell as we approached. Once inside, the church was packed, buzzing with anticipation. The program vaulted into motion with a musical invocation from the gifted pianist Michael Keith Jester, whose opening notes drew a hush over the room before the first tune.

 

The choir is Cleveland’s who’s-who of talent; each member of the 50thanniversary reunion choir has at one time or another been a part of the Greater Cleveland Choral Chapter.  The sound wrapped around us, and for a moment I forgot to blink, just sitting there letting the chorus flood the room, and I couldn’t stop it even if I wanted to. The lineup of worship leaders was stacked: Reverend Mark D. Ribbins, pastor of Avon Baptist Church; Reverend Michael L. Brown, pastor of The Historic Liberty Hill Baptist Church; Elder Gregory Henderson, senior pastor of Tabernacle Church of Christ Holiness; and Reverend Jeffery Richardson, pastor of Bethlehem Temple of Praise in Wayne, Minnesota. In a touching tribute to the late musician David Crawford and the late Reverend Dr. Earl Preston Jr., scholarships were announced in their memory.

 

That night, my wife and I heard more than music. The program offered original compositions and fresh arrangements from Cleveland’s outstanding musicians Leonard Burks, Minister Michael Dotson, Rev. John B. Engram, Regina Flowers, Avis Graves, Rev. Michael Pickett, Bernadette Salley, and Richard James Smith. These voices told a people’s history, inviting us to lean in, linger, listen, and learn. It was the opening line to a bigger story; the story of Cleveland’s longest-serving community gospel choir and the backbone of Cleveland’s gospel legacy. They’ve shared stages with national artists, appeared on Morning Exchange and Bobby Jones Gospel, and even shared a moment with the Cleveland Orchestra on MLK Day.

 

In 1975, the Greater Cleveland Choral Chapter was led by the late Rev. Dr. Earl Preston Jr., followed by Thelma Campbell-Brown. Madame Corene Robinson later became their longest-serving president, from 1980 to 2022. Today, with Avis Lyons (an original member since 1975) leading, the legacy is in good hands. The choir is a multi-generational, non-denominational community group, with members aged 5 to 97. They welcome new singers and rehearse every Monday at East View United Church of Christ, 17300 Van Aken, Cleveland, starting at 6:30 pm. The Greater Cleveland Choral Chapter has recorded two projects — “Live” and “Chapter Two” — both directed by their original chief musician Richard James Smith. Leonard Burkes, Rev. John Engram, and Michael Keith Jester now share that pleasure. Well done.