Community Artist

Michael J. Vance, Jr. was raised in home with a love and appreciation for music. His mother would sing and play music to him while he was living in her womb. From birth his parents exposed him to a variety of genres of music from gospel to classical.


His dad gave him a bass guitar and taught him the basic fundamental when he was 13 years old. Within a very short period of time Michael was able to master the bass guitar. At age 16 Michael played the bass on his first studio recording. In addition, he has recorded with the First Seventh-day Adventist Church Children's Choir CD project under the direction of Jonathan & Lisa Snodgrass.

Michael graduated from the Oakwood Seventh-day Adventist Academy with a National Achievement Scholarship and National Merit Scholarship in 2004. While attending Oakwood Seventh-day Adventist Academy he developed his bass voice for singing. In 2002 Michael recorded with the Oakwood Seventh-day Adventist Choir Christmas CD project "A Christmas Alleluia" under the direction of Dr. J. Phillip Williams.

in 2004 Michael recorded again with the Oakwood Seventh-day Adventist Choir CD project "Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs" under the direction of Dr. J. Phillip Williams.

Michael graduated from Oakwood University in 2008 debt-free with a major in communications and minor in technology information. While attending Oakwood University Michael was on the team of students that bought home $50,000 as the 2007 Honda All Stars Academic Challenge first place winners.

Michael has served 17 months as missionary for the Korean SDA Language Institute teaching English in Seoul, Korea. While in Korea Michael sang on the praise team for worship and collaborated in writing a theatrical production. You can connect with Michael on Facebook. (Profile Name: Michael Vance) or listen to his podcast Better Husband Father Man Podcast

Community Artist

 

Dr. Horace Rice is a retired Alabama A&M University professor, husband, father, grandfather, National Senior Olympic Tennis champion, businessman, musician, jazz educator, and has been a part of the North Alabama music scene for decades.  

Community Artist

Dr. Wayne F.A. Buckner

Wayne Bucknor is the associate professor of piano at Oakwood University, a position he has held since 1988. www.oakwood.edu He also has served as the Minister of Music for Madsion Mission Seventh-day Adventist Church in Madison, Alabama. www.madisonmission.net

Bucknor was born in Queens, New York, and grew up in Orlando, Florida. Raised in a musically talented family, he was the first to seriously pursue formal study in music, starting with piano lessons at the age of 6. He continued his music study in Orlando with Drucilla Engel at the Iris Engel Daniel School of Music.

Bucknor graduated with both a B.A. in piano performance and B.S. in compter science from Oakwood University. He completed his Master in Music Education at Alabama A&M University in 1998 and recently completed his Doctorate in Music Arts in piano performance and pedagogy at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

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He is also a song writer, producer, and arranger for sololists and groups, and including Virtue (I Must Tell Jesus, Angels Watching Over Me, Till You Believe(piano), the Madison Mission Mass Choir(Great And Marvelous, Open Praise, Lord We Have Come, etc) Darwin Hobbs, Dynamic Praise (God Restores, O Come) Ann McCrary, Duawne Starling, Joyce & Robert Pressley, Annointed Praise and others who have included his works for them on their recordings. He admits songwriting is his passion and has hundreds of finished and unfinished songs.

Community Artist

Megan Humphrey is a local radio personality and gospel recording artist. Megan host a weekly Christian radio broadcast"Believers in Christ" every Sunday morning at 9:30am on WDJL 1000am radio station in Huntsville, Alabama.

Currently Megan sings in a gospel recording group called the "Believers in Christ". She has shared her talents and met people in the gospel music industry such as Luther Barnes, D.J. Johnson of Malaco Records, Bobby Jones and George Dean of the Gospel Four.

Megan's voice is unique, anointed, strong, and will touch the very essence of your soul. Her latest 2008 project entitled "Hold On" is a musical message of hope for the broken and lost. You can sample her music at: www.myspace.com/theblieverinchrist2008

Megan co-directs the youth choir at the Lewis Chapel C.P. Church in Huntsville, Alabama every third Sunday. She is a member and worships at the Spirit-filled Ministries Church in Madison, Alabama. Megan's natural talents and God inspired gift of singing has open many doors since she sang her very first solo " Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See" at the age of 5.

Megan believes it was nobody but God's grace and mercy that has brought her to this point. She gives him all the glory and praise. The m4m Music Camp is delighted to feature Megan Humphrey as our 2008 community artist.

Community Artists

Maria Okoye began taking piano lessons at the tender age of 4 years old. Her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit led her to playing the piano in church as a child. She served as district youth pianist for the Huntsville District Youth Conference of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.

Maria's love and passion for music empowered her to obtain a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education from the University of Alabama. Her musical journey has taken many paths. She served on staff at Trinity United Methodist Church as the musician for the middle school choir, youth choir and chancel choir under the leadership of pastor John Rutland.

She taught piano lessons and general music classes at Corona Primary School in Bukuru, Nigeria. She served as the church musician for Potter Park United Methodist Church and taught general music classes at the Lyons Elementary School in Lansing, Michigan.

After returning to Huntsville in 1998 she earned her Masters Degree in Business Administration. In 2004 Maria established her own business Progression Music Studio (256) 858-0246 were she teaches and shares her passion for music in the community.

Marie believes in giving back to the community. She is honored as an major sponsor of the first m4m Music Camp and a 2007 m4m Music Camp Community Artist.

m4m Music Camphttp://m4mcamp.blogspot.com/

m4m Mentoring Project
http://m4mmentoring.blogspot.com/

Community Artist

Bessie R. White

Bessie is a Contralto and Mezzo Soprano Soloist, Cellist, Author, Music, Voice and Cello Instructor, Motivational Speaker, Workshop Presenter and Educational Consultant.

Bessie studied voice with the former Stanley Ware, student of Julliard and Tenor Soloist with the Metropolitan Opera. Bessie recorded The Books of Bible Songs CD sound track for children. You can purchase it online http://www.bessong.biz at her website.

Bessie R. White is a highly sought after artist she can be contacted at (256) 837-6272 or (916)731-9558