The Atlanta West Pentecostal Church Choir Earns Title
“Best Church Choir in America”

When Atlanta West Pentecostal Church Choir Director Brandon Frazier submitted an audition tape to the organizers
of the Verizon Wireless How Sweet the Sound church choir competition last year, he received a rejection e-mail. “They told us we weren’t selected and there were just too many entries,” says Frazier, whose choir had competed the previous year. “The very next day we received a phone call that another choir had backed out and we were asked to perform.”

Fortunately for Frazier, that last minute opportunity to compete resulted in his 63-member church choir winning the title of “Best Church Choir in America,” the $30,000 grand prize, as well as the V Cast People’s Choice Award and an additional $5,000 last November. “It’s been a once-in-a-lifetime experience to participate and to win,” says Frazier. “I am still taking it in. It’s an amazing feeling and has already opened so many doors for our church choir.”

Judges for the event included award-winning gospel artists Marvin Sapp, Dorinda Clark-Cole, as well as Donald Lawrence, who acted as emcee. Christian singer-songwriter Lisa Kimmey- Winans co-hosted.

To perform in the How Sweet the Sound regionals in Atlanta, Frazier had to select four songs from a list of 100 that the competition organizers sent. One of the songs Frazier chose was “Anthem of Praise,” by Richard Smallwood, a song his choir performed regularly and had already mastered.

Competing against 10 other church choirs, the Atlanta West Pentecostal Church Choir beefed up their rehearsal schedule the month between the regional competition and the grand finale held at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Usually, the choir practices on Sundays early in the morning before the 10:15 a.m. service and an hour before the 4:15 p.m. service. The choir added four extra practices before the finale performance.

During those rehearsals, Frazier took a no nonsense approach. After a prayer, the choir got straight to work on vocal warm-ups and then practiced the music. Frazier made sure all the singers stayed focused and engaged.

Frazier’s passion and dedication to choir directing started as a young boy, when he joined the Atlanta West Pentecostal Church choir as a 12-year-old alto. “I started singing before my voice changed,” says Frazier, laughing. “Ever since I was a boy, I loved attending and observing choir rehearsals in my free time. I thought that was fun.”

Now a tenor, Frazier’s love and interest in choir directing has blossomed into a full-time position at his childhood church. Ten years ago, Frazier’s pastor asked him to start filling in part-time when the choir director was out of town. Within a few years, the position became permanent.

The prize money from the competition will go into recording the choir’s first album, which Frazier says he is in the early stages of planning. On top of the excitement of winning the competition, the Atlanta West Pentecostal Church Choir traveled to New York City during the December holidays and performed on Good Morning America as well as Fox & Friends. The choir also made a guest appearance at the 2010 gospel music Stellar Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, with Donald Lawrence.

Besides major appearances on national television, the choir has been asked to sing at other local churches and various events in Atlanta. Although traveling with such a large group can be challenging, it is still a fun experience for the singers. Choir members range from age 17 to their early 60s.

Nathan Roland, the choir’s longest standing member, has been singing with the group for 30 years, since he was 18. Roland has known Frazier since he was six years old and he is married Frazier’s aunt. Roland has good memories of watching Frazier grow up from the kid who sang in the Christmas plays to the choir leader he is today.

Traveling to New York City for TV appearances was exciting for Roland who had never been there before. He even got to ice skate in Central Park, fulfilling a lifelong dream. “It was quite an adventure for me; in the South we roller skate,” says Roland, 48, a commercial and industrial electrician.

"It was also very cool being on TV,” he says, summing up the choir’s experience. “It was a blessing to be able to see the effects on the people in the studio when we sang; it was great to minister to them.”