 Musical Director — James T. McRaney
Dr. James T. McRaney earned the B.M. and B.S. in Education degrees from Mississippi College, and a Master of Arts in Music Education from George Peabody College for Teachers. After coming to Georgia in 1962, he taught in the public schools in Atlanta and Dekalb County for 30 years, and was named Georgia’s 1983 Teacher of the Year. He earned a Doctorate in Education from the University of Georgia. While on a graduate fellowship at UGA, he directed the UGA Women’s Glee Club. He has also served as adjunct professor of music education at Mercer Atlanta Baptist College and, more recently, in both full-time and adjunct positions at Reinhardt College. He has served in part-time music ministry in several churches in Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia, and in 2008 celebrated 50 years as a conductor. He conducted concert tours to Canada, Great Britain, Europe, Brazil and Nassau, Bahamas, and led the 2008 CHORALE II tour to Scotland and England. As a music educator, he served as President of the Georgia Music Educators Association and the Southern Division of Music Educators National Conference. He served on the National Executive Board of MENC, and also as National Chair of the MENC History Special Interest Research Group. He is currently Historian/Archivist for Georgia’s MEA. He also served as Executive Director of the Georgia Music Educators Association and the Georgia Teachers of the Year Association.
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 Peggy Ray — Associate Conductor
Peggy Ray holds a music education degree from the University of Georgia and a master’s in education from the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She has served churches in Texas and Georgia, and as musical director for the Arcado Community Theater in Gwinnett County. She also sang in the choral music program under Dr..McRaney at Cross Keys High School. In addition she performs with her musically talented siblings and extended family frequently.
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 Don Akin — Accompanist
Don Akin, an Atlanta native, operates a computer service company that provides software technology services to medical facilities across the country. He holds the M.Mus. degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and is pursuing a master’s degree in computer sciences at Georgia State University. He has served churches in Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia as organist and/or choirmaster. He first accompanied for Dr. McRaney in the 1960s in the Youth Choir at Briarlake Baptist Church, Decatur, Georgia.
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 Kathy Ray — Associate Accompanist
Kathy Ray, sang and accompanied in the music program under Dr..McRaney at Cross Keys High School. She holds an undergraduate music degree from the University of Georgia, a M.Ed. in Educational Psychology and the Ed.S. in Library Science from Georgia State University. She is presently the Media Specialist at Pebblebrook High School in Cobb County. Kathy is the Children's Choir Coordinator for First Baptist Church of Tucker where she directs the preschool choir, and is also active in the Adult Choir and Praise Band. In addition she is part of a ladies ensemble and frequently sings also with her family at various functions.
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 Larry Saggus — Assistant Accompanist
Lawrence D (Larry) Saggus, Jr., a native of Tucker, Georgia, began piano instruction in the 4th grade. While attending Tucker High School he won First Place in the Georgia high school state piano competition. He has served as pianist at Tucker First Baptist Church, North Atlanta Baptist, Wieuca Road Baptist, Donaldson Drive Baptist, and Raytown Baptist churches, and in December, 2007 he joined the staff as pianist at Briarlake Baptist Church in Decatur. Larry appeared as a featured duo-pianos artist in the 2008 Spring Concert by CHORALE II.
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