Beryl Quinton

Featured on EWTN, a survivor of Katrina, my purpose in singing is to express the joys of my faith to touch hurting souls... My latest CD "Amazing Graces" depicts in song a Christian lifetime from the cradle to the grave. One reviewer has said that it defies categorization and settles for this descriptive "....American Catholic meets Southern Baptist." I was born into a family of devout Catholics, where the music of a piano (my Mom), harmonica (my Dad), and Christian worship (a Baptist church next door) was frequent. Encouraged by my parents, my sister Eulalie (Lee) and I were both enrolled in dancing lessons by the time I was 4 years old, with voice lessons soon to follow. My early radio/TV/stage appearances included children's TV shows and commercials. In high school, I joined the "Velve-Teens," a doo-wop group, and performed in New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD) Broadway-type shows and local opera productions. As a young adult, I became "Lady Soul," the front vocalist for "Beryl Hart and the Versatiles" (a rock band), a co-headliner with Eddie Powers (of "Gypsy Woman" fame), and later sang jazz standards with the Richie Ladner trio at a cozy New Orleans club. Intermittent gigs with bands in New Orleans and California preserved my passion for all types of music, while a group music ministry at my parish church nourished my love for Christian music. When Pope John Paul II visited New Orleans in 1987, I sang for him as a member of the "Papal Choir," and later for the Archbishop at local church events in the renamed Archdiocesan Choir. It was around 1994 when I began my solo ministry, singing for weddings, funerals, baptisms, and special masses. My debut Christian CD "Like The Seagull" was released in 2001, with two additional CD releases in November 2004 -- "Amazing Graces" and "Jesus, I Trust In You." A music video, "Following Christ" (track 5 from "Amazing Graces") followed in June 2005, only weeks before New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Katrina -- bringing all music activities to a screeching halt for months on end. Thankfully, as an independent Christian recording artist, my music extends to other parts of the world, including Australia, England, Ireland, Italy, and China. In 2004, it was exciting to be informed that "America, God's Country," composed by my Dad in 1926 and updated as a track on "Amazing Graces," was to be presented by a radio station in Ireland as the sole patriotic song representing the American July 4th Independence Day celebration. My songs/albums are available for downloads on major internet sites, such as, Napster, iTunes, and Rhapsody. My music has also been accepted by the Catholic global cable network EWTN, to be featured in their programming. My CD releases and music video have been recognized in nationwide U.S. competition sponsored by the United Catholic Music and Video Association (UCMVA), reaching finalist status in both 2002 and 2005 Awards. My husband Juan and I survived the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, having evacuated and relocated to Baton Rouge LA. Juan, a first responder during the storm, still commutes daily to New Orleans to his law enforcement position with the New Orleans Police Department. Still needed by the people of New Orleans, Juan loves to participate in my music ministry whenever he is available. He is the male voice and percussionist on "Amazing Graces" and "Jesus, I Trust In You." I now study pipe organ and practice in church every chance I get. With many lost instruments and recording equipment now replaced, my focus is on continuing my music ministry, both in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and planning new CD project(s).<br>My personal history, and one of the motivating forces in my music ministry, includes the horrific loss of my teenage daughter in a fatal automobile accident. Through the years, I have learned to pour the emotion of losses and faith into my music. That is what my music ministry is all about really... connecting with persons seeking God's presence, and also with hurting souls needing God's intervention in the midst of crisis or tragedy. How thrilling it is to hear from someone who expresses the comfort my music has provided! Juan and I are so grateful to have survived and recovered from the storms of life, and also for our blessings of talent, love, and the opportunity to share with others the abundant love of Jesus Christ through our music. <br>Please check out my website at www.berylquinton.com.