Uncrowned Community Builders

My parents were George A. and Lula Davis, Jr.[semiColon] my grandparents were George and Mattie Davis and George and Y.V. Williamson. I have one sister, Mrs. Pearl L. Moore.

I have been married to my wife, the Evangelist Patricia (Stewart) Davis since August 18, 1962. We have two sons[colon] George A. III, and Paul Vashawn, one daughter-in-law[colon] Valeria, three grandchildren[colon] George IV, Jamal Willie and Valencia A. Davis.

I was born and raised in the Saint Luke AME Zion Church and was christened by the late Bishop Spotwood, and at the age of seven I became a member of the church under the late Rev. King.

My grandmother and mother provided a rich church heritage for me. My grandmother founded the St. Luke Gospel Chorus and she was the Sunday School Superintendent for thirty years. It was during this time she started me playing the piano. First one finger, then the whole hand, then two hands. Yes, this was the beginning of my learning to play hymns, during the Sunday school. My mother Lula was the church pianist for fifty years. When the church was located at 174 Eagle Street, the organ was located in the balcony, my mother would be at the piano, on the floor, and I would be at the organ playing together for the Young People's Choir.~2010_03_26_19_44_05~~I began my education in the Buffalo Public Schools. However, at the age of eight I was transferred to the New York State School for the Blind in Batavia where I graduated with three Regent Diplomas[colon] Academic, Commercial and Music. To receive the Music Diploma I had to take courses at the Fredonia State Teachers College and perform a classical musical recital, which consisted of my playing the clarinet, the pipe organ and the piano.

In February 1955 I began playing for the Ward Jubilairs. It was this group that taught me to play Gospel music. After having learned to play Gospel music I then organized the Davis Specials. Immediately Lula asked me to play for the Davis Echoes and I did so for thirty-nine years of the forty-one years they sang. In this same year the National Convention of gospel Choirs and Choruses, Inc. (MCGCC) founded by the late Dr. Thomas A. Dorsey was being held in Buffalo. I along with many other joined her in this choir. When the convention ended I remained as the assistant pianist, later becoming the Director of Music. By 1960 I had become the President. I served seven years as Youth President. From 1967-1983, I was President of the Supervisors Guild of this same organization. In 1983 I was elected Senior President of the entire Choral Society, a position I have now held for twenty-four years.~none~~In 1956 I organized the Saint Luke AME Zion Mass Choir. That choir continued under my direction from 1956-1994.

In 1977 I was elected President of the National Supervisors Guild of the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, Inc. (MCGCC) and in 1984 I was elected to the National board of Directors of the NCGCC, Inc and by 2000 I was appointed National Chairman of the Board of Directors, a position I still hold.

Also under my leadership, the Buffalo Choral Society is now a recipient of the United Way Donor Choice Program and has also obtained approximately [dollar]19,000 in New York State Grants for Cultural Programming and[fSlash]or specific building rehabilitation. The history of the Buffalo Choral Union is in the African American History section of the Frank E. Merriweather Library.~none