MUSIC
The boys practice at Shakinah Christian Club on Avenue D. They are accompanied on keyboards by Mary Hendricks, the director of the choir.
native, directed that choir to two national championships for
Best Male Gospel Choir.
“I would love to see these boys grow their musical skills
and become a nationally known choir,” says Dr. Hendricks,
a native of Jamaica. “I would love to see them be recognized
not just for their singing, but for their character. That’s why
we named the choir after Avenue D; we wanted to take
something many see as negative and turn it into something
positive.”
Like many other choir members, Jared Peavy first learned
about the choir at his church. “I never liked to sing in front
of people before, but now I do,” says Peavy, an 18-year-old
student at Indian River Community College. “I really like the
camaraderie of the boys and the staff over us. The choir
keeps me out of trouble and it keeps me closer to the Lord.”
About 35 boys and young men comprise the choir, with
ages ranging from 6 to 20.
“As long as the boys are in school, they are permitted to
remain active members of the choir,” Mary Hendricks says.
And every boy who stayed with the choir graduated from
high school, she says. The choir practices three nights a week
to perform for clubs, churches, meetings, and at events such
as the New York Mets opening game of spring training.
Last year, the choir gave 18 concerts during a three-week
holiday period, and about a dozen more throughout the year.
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“That’s why we named
the choir after Avenue
D; we wanted to take
something many see as
negative and turn it into
something positive.”
— Dr. Earl W. Hendricks, co-founder of
the Avenue D Boys Choir