ART PORTER SINGERS

Art Porter Sr. organized the Art Porter Singers in December 1976. He assembled former Horace Mann High School choir members, their spouses, and friends at Bethel A. M. E. Church, Little Rock, to present a program of Christmas music. The performance of Handel’s Messiah followed in December 1977 and has continued unbroken each Christmas season.

Art Porter was music director and conductor until his death in 1993.The Singers’’ repertoire includes hymns, anthems, spirituals, jazz and popular standards. As a volunteer organization, many concerts have been conducted at churches, high school reunions, and social events. The choir has been featured on the Arkansas Education Television Network (AETN) and was invited to perform at the Grand Opening of the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Center.

Mr. Porter, known affectionately as "Our Fearless Leader," is credited by the Singers as instrumental in maintaining the organization over the years. The Art Porter Singers continue the legacy of community service under the direction of Sterling Ingram.

The Art Porter Singers

Conductor - Sterling Ingram

Accompanists - Rita Bledsoe, Julia Buckingham, Mary Zies

Sopranos - Helen Barnes, Jewell Bryant, Pat Butler, Othello Faison, Margie Gary, Cynthia Grant, Clai Hall, Phyllis Haynes, Cynthia Horton, Rosiland Hunter, Hal Wofford-Hutchison, JoRuth Jordan, Christene Long, Lucille Mothershed, Bevelyn Parker, Edith Powell, Jamailah Rehiem, Annett Roper, Carolyn Taylor, Musheerah Tharpe, Ronda Davis-Ward, Adrianne Westbrook

Tenors - Larry Bledsoe, Robert Brack, William Davis, Patricia Dean, Thomas East, Jack Gary, Darris Grant, Scott Green, Charles Hunter, Phyllis Log, Sam Martin, Maudella Parham, Harold Philips, Lucious Powell, Claudia Rodgers, Robert Warren, William Wofford

Altos - Rita Bledsoe, Lavell Brack, Vaughncier Davis, Carolyn Foreman, Shari Hill, Gwendell Ingram, Belynda Jeffries, Brenda Martin, Marva Piggee, Barbara Smith, Marilyn Turner, Joyce Williams, Mary Zies

Bass - Lemarion Adams, John Brown, DeJuan Carter, Milton Collier, Jimmy Davis, Oyama Hampton, Lonnie Jones, Ira Scoggins, Robert Simmons, Camryn Stillman, Frederick Tollette