In 1970, three gifted, passionate, skilled gospel visionaries, Brenda Waters, Shirley Joiner and Carl Preacher combined their directing, playing, singing and writing gifts to present a combined youth musical to benefit our churches, Mt. Olive and Outreach Missionary Baptist Churches. In the beginning, Ms. Brenda Waters directed the choir, Carl played the organ and Ms. Shirley played the piano; and we just did what they told us to do. Only this time, we had THREE melodious personalities to groom us instead of one. After months and months of rigorous rehearsals and prayer, we presented our first DEDICATION & PRAISE concert at Houston’s South Park Baptist Church on Valentine’s Day in 1971.

 

Desire and God-given talent prompted our leaders to turn the cause into a permanent choir. And since we lived and "churched" in southeast Houston, our leaders named us, SouthEast Inspirational Youth Choir aka Southeast. We were blessed with the support of our parents and church leaders who thought it amazing three intelligent musicians would CHOOSE to mold 45 adolescents. We learned to sing soprano, alto and tenor, obey; and exalt God in song and life. We sang at a lot of churches in town that year, and then at the James Cleveland

Gospel Music Workshop of America in Dallas where we were awarded 1971-72 Most Promising Choir. 

Being a Southeast member required us to sing in our respective church choirs; attend rehearsals and engagements; participate in devotion and represent God. Like our parents, Carl preached, Ms. Shirley fussed and Ms. Brenda even spanked us a few times. But they also taught, prayed, cooked, drove and sewed for us.

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So we embraced the specialness of being a DIFFERENT kind of youth and savored our together times. Back then we didn’t realize the life-changing impact the inspirational songs written especially for us would have on us. It took us some time to appreciate our directors’ anointed, innovative writing and 

arrangement of vocals, lyrics and instruments. We remember learning the words of new songs by turning to the scriptures in our bibles and singing them over and over.

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Throughout the 70s, SouthEast was our second family and the special BOND motivated us to not just sing, but worship and record the intricate melodies of songs like Some Sweet Day led by Brenda Waters and “He Included Me” led by Francis Lee and “One More Chance” led by Jesse Jones and “I Never Knew Joy” led by Anna Boney and “This Day Belongs to Jesus” led by Darrel Pitts and “Guide Me Over Thy Great Jehovah” led by Evelyn Booker and “That Will Be Glory for Me” led by Shirley Joiner and “Only Jesus” led by Carl Preacher. Parents, friends and church members supported us by driving, feeding, ushering and chaperoning us in and out of town. In, 1975, Ms. Brenda was led to pursue a solo ministry, passing the torch on to Ms. Shirley and Carl to become Co-Directors. In 1978, with most of us now young adults, we officially became SouthEast Inspirational Choir and welcomed young gospel singers from other Houston churches into the family. Our unique sound and model became

institutionalized which ushered in recordings on Savoy, Jewel, Sweet Rain and Soul Bird record labels.

 

From the 80s through the 90s, being in SouthEast still meant, bible study, fund raising, musicals, concerts and tours, recordings, workshops, gospel TV and theater appearances, nursing home and prison ministry. It also meant fasting, praying and developing an intimate relationship with Jesus. As adults, we juggled singing engagements with family, work, school, church obligations, and some left

to fulfill other aspirations. We and our dedicated musicians traveled by auto, bus and plane to accompany nationally recognized performers, Morgan Freeman and Carl Lumbly in the Gospel at Colonus, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson at NASA and Ray Charles in the recording studio. We sang in numerous choir stands and venues in the US, England, Canada, Bahamas, Barbados and Japan. We also featured many gospel artists at our 2nd Sunday February anniversaries. People all over the country were INSPIRED by “The Greatest Commandment” narrated by Ms. Lonnie, “By Faith” narrated by Jesse, “My Liberty” and “You Made the Difference” led by Yolanda, “Breathe on Me” led by Anna, “He Sends

the Spirit” and “Inspire Me” led by Risé, “I’ll Go” and “Shall Not Slumber Nor Sleep” led by LaShondra, “Just Like Jesus” and “Full Joy” led by Angela, “Satisfied with Jesus” led by Cynthia, “Believe It Receive It” led by Yolandra, “Humble Yourself” led by Gregory, “Bless That Wonderful Name” and “Carry You

Through” led by David, “More Like Jesus” and “He’s Able” led by Kathy, “Coming Home Again” led by Francis Lee, “The World is Watching You” led by Byron, “These Signs” led by Charles, “I’m Going Through” led by Pearl, “What the Lord Has Done for Me” led by Daron, “Glorify Thy Name” written by James, “I Can Do All Things” led by Gene, “Fill Me With Your Spirit” led by Quin, “Our Charge”, “Lord Here We Are Again”, “Victory In Jesus” sung by the Choir, hymns arranged by Bill King and many more.

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Singing was special, but we also shared many FIRSTS and fond memories like: a Gospel Music Workshop chartered flight to New York, compiling souvenir books; a subway ride in Brooklyn; New Orleans’ Cajun food; numerous Six Flags roller coasters; a passport; the changing of Buckingham Palace guards; the

majesty of Niagara Falls; Floridian cruise seasickness; literally chilling in Indiana; and singing in Osaka, Japan’s renowned Blue Note Club. Some of the gospel artists who were guests at our annual Praise and Rededication Celebrations and concerts were: Sara Jordan Powell, the Gospel Inspirations, Lois Dejean, The Youth Inspirational Choir, Dwight Franklin, Prof. Theodore King, Quincy Fielding Jr, Twinkie Clark, Douglas Miller, Richard Smallwood Singers, Felix Williams, Raphael Green and Mystery Love, Mildred McCann, Vanessa Bell-Armstrong, Danniebelle Hall, Bruce Parham, The Winans, Derrick Brinkley, The PacevSisters, Yvette Flunder, Donnie McClurkin, Lisa Page Brooks, Richard Odom, Donald Lawrence and even our own Yolanda Adams, Anna Boney-Brown and Risé Joiner Peters.

 

In 1998, after hosting several youth workshops, Ms. Shirley, Carl and other choir members formed Southeast Ministries, Inc. (SEICM Inc.) and presented the PHD (Preparing Holy Disciples) Youth and Young Adult Convention. For 10 years, in keeping with our origins of youth ministry, we hosted PHD that impacted hundreds of young people in grades pre-k through college. Each summer, for three days, teachers, preachers, musicians and youth leaders packed Houston hotels and churches to provide gospel fine arts workshops to develop the mind, body and spirit of spirited young disciples. We sowed seeds into these youth by awarding financial scholarships to participating college freshmen. Many of them

are music and arts ministry leaders and professionals today. (PH-DEEE)

 

A worthy vessel of God, Carol Allen Simmons, our minister, mother, cosmetologist, mentor, chaperone and friend, prophesied Southeast would birth great ministers, preachers and pastors, teachers, missionaries and gospel recording artists. It has and continues to do so in ways too numerous to tell. To say thank you to the many ministers, musicians, hostesses, ushers, producers, caterers and drivers who labored faithfully with us is inadequate, but we do. Some of our choir family gained their wings; we miss them and think fondly of them. Likewise, in the order of their BC&S moniker, our Southeast founders, went to be with the Lord; Ms. Brenda (03/17/05), Carl (04/15/05) and Ms. Shirley (03/16/09). They instilled in us a spirit of excellence and left a LEGACY of entrenched inspiration and unforgettable scriptures, lyrics and principles to sustain and affirm us in our journey. In 2007, to honor Brenda Waters, Carl Preacher and Shirley Joiner, we presented a Southeast 38th reunion concert with Donald Lawrence as our special guest artist. We sang and celebrated the vision, the victory and each other.

 

In 2020 we presented our 50th anniversary at Houston’s Silverlake Church. We covered our decades of unforgettable music with some of Houston’s finest musicians, praise and worship by Dwight Franklin and special guest soloist and artist. 

Our SouthEast training and time is priceless and unforgettable; it transcends us and blesses generationally. We remember and cleave to His promises that “when our trials here are over, we’ll be together in glorious concert again. For we know with the faith that rings down in our souls, our redeemer lives and our living was not; is not in vain. Our prophetic charge to keep and God to glorify is not happenstance, it was ordained.” Because of the Holy Spirit and many of you, we embraced our purpose and fulfilled written and seen visions.

Now the year is 2025 and we are celebrating 55 years of LEGACY with the release of our EP: Legacy, the upcoming release of our LP: Full circle and a special SouthEast weekend in February 2026; which will culminate with a Southeast stage production. Because of His faithfulness and grace, we are

forever SouthEast Inspirational Choir. Praise the Lord everybody!

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-Karen Ri'chard McMillan Author | SouthEast Historian