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Posted: Tuesday, September 23, 20087:08 pm CDT
Sam Levine Biography:
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Sam attended Harvard College, the University of Alaska and Indiana University School of Music before moving to Nashville in 1977. He is currently a recording artist for Greenhill Music. As an artist Sam has ten solo projects and three Dove Award nominations. His latest release on the Village Square label is a smooth jazz Christmas project called \\\"Christmas By the Fire\\\". Sam is a busy studio musician in Nashville, playing a number of different instruments in the woodwind family.
This year so far he has recorded tracks for Wynomma, Rascal Flatts, The Gaither Vocal Band and music for the soundtrack of a soon-to-be-released movie about Billy Graham. Sam is married to Lee Carroll Levine, a clarinetist extraordinare, and they have two teenagers, Sybil and Reed. They are members of Westminster Presbyterian where Sam serves as an edler. Sam\\\'s hobby is waterskiing and playing jazz, not necessarily at the same time.
Jim Ferguson Biography:
Jazz Vocalist/Bassist, Jim Ferguson was born in Jefferson City, Missouri. His father was the music director in a large church in Columbia, South Carolina, so Jim\'s training began like that of many jazz performers--at church. Jim sang in the children\'s choir at four years old and also began piano lessonas with the church organist. Singing was his main musical focus through high school, but just before graduation, Jim bought his first string bass.
In 1969, Jim enrolled at the University of South Carolina to study voice. He started playing bass under the tutelage of members of the Woody Herman and Sammy Davis orchestras.
Songwriter/pianist Loonis McGlohon hired Jim in 1978 to play bass for NPR\'s \"The American Popular Singer\". In 1979 Jim began bass lessons with Michael Moore in New York City. He returned to South Carolina in 1980 to complete his undergraduate work as well as a Master of Music degree with emphasis in Jazz Performance.
After graduation, Jim moved to Nashville, and has been active in the country music industry ever since as a background vocalist and bassist. He has worked with hundreds of country artists including Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, Crystal Gale and Willie Nelson. He has also performed with a variety of jazz artists including Al Jarreau, Joe Williams, Teresa Brewer and Stepahnie Grappelli.
Among Jim\'s recordings are \"Not Just Another Pretty Bass\" (1999), \"Deep Summar Music\" (2000), and most recently \"Haunted Heart\" with guitar legend Mundell Lowe. They are currently touring in support of this recording and were featured at the International Jazz Guitar Festival in Wales and W.C. Handy Festival.
Jim has been interviewed on NPR\'s \"Morning Edition\" and the featured guest on \"Marian McPartland\'s Piano Jazz\" and included in an episode of NPR\'s \"Jazz Profiles with Nancy Wilson\".
Jim has been listed in Marquis\' \"Who\'s Who in Entertainment\" since the first edition in 1989. He has served on the National Board of Directors of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists since 1985, and on the Board of Directors of the International Society of Bassists. He has been an instructor of Jazz Bass and Jazz Voice at Middle Tennessee State since 1998.
Paula James Chavis Biography:
Paul Chavis, a native Nashvillian, is one of Nashville's acclaimed vocalists. While attending Nashville's historic Pearl High School, now Martin Luther King Magnet, Paula's vocal clarity and unusual style led to television appearances. Early vocal professional experiences began with recording voice-overs, sound-alikes, recordings at CBS for Arthur Murray Dance Studios and national commericals for Revlon.
She attended the University of Kansas and achieved her Undergraduate Degree from Knoxville College in Biology and Chemistry. Her Master's Degree in Special Education was acheived from George Peabody College at Vanderbilt, and Post Graduate work with Honors in Education from Cumberland University. Paula is a retired Nashville educator of thirty three years from the Metropolitan Nashville Public School System. While teaching, she coupled music and theater, joined the cast of the theater performance "RESPECT" and traveled to Canada, Hawaii, Washington D.C. and Florida. Paula's fondness for teaching children lead to the vocal character role of "Gertie" in the PBS internationally broadcast television production of "Noddy".
Paula has sung in the Nashville Symphony Chorus and performed on stage with music greats Shirley Caesar, Larry Carlton, Clifton Davis, Charlie Daniels, Amy Grant, The Drifters, Kirk Whalum, and American Idol's Melinda Doolittle. Pauls records on her music label PJC Music and is the vocalist with City Lights Band. More recently, she joined a collaborative effort with the Nashville Convention Visitor's Bureau and XM Satellite Radio to produce a special series for Black History Month.
Paula is very actively engaged in community projects that service the elderly and youth of Nashville. She regularly worships at Clark Memorial United Methodist Church where she serves as President/Director of the AGAPE Singers. Paula is married to Jordan Chavis, State Department of Treasury and they have three adult children. She enjoys gardening, sewing, cooking, reading and working out.
Posted: Tuesday, January 29, 20089:26 pm CDT
It's that time again. Emmanuel Presbyterian Church is having the 2nd Annual "Living Nativity", Sunday evening, December 16. There will be two performances - 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. with refreshments, including hot cider, after each performance. Enjoy a night under the stars as members of the Emmanuel reenact the birth of the Christ child. This is a free event for the public to enjoy, and all are welcome to attend. Traditional Christmas carols will be sung, and live farm animals will be roaming the stable. Seating (hay bales) will be available, but limited. For more information, contact Emmanuel Presbyterian Church at 662-7709. Emmanuel Presbyterian Church is located at 9770 Highway 96, just off Highway 100 at the Davidson/Williamson County line.
Posted: Tuesday, January 29, 20089:23 pm CDT
On May 14, 2006, the design for a stained glass window was presented to Rev. Carol A. Tate as a gift from the congregation. The design was done by Dennis Harmon of Emmanuel Studio. The design features a Celtic cross which embodies Emmanuel Presbyterian\\\'s ties to the natural world as a part of the congregation\\\'s understanding of God\\\'s love. The 4-ft. window will be installed over the entrance at a later date. It will also be removable in order to be part of any future construction of a new sanctuary. Click the Read More link below to see a larger image.
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Posted: Monday, June 19, 20069:45 pm CDT
The following article is in the June 2006 edition of "The Voice", the Synod of Living Waters 'official' newspaper. Thank you, Rebecca Fewell, for your wonderful words!
http://synodoflivingwaters.org/the_voice
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