By Staff
Do you sing or can you sing? Well this may be the perfect way to find out.
Paul Shelley, who is a resident of Brewton, has decided to put his many years of music to a good cause by forming a singing group.
Murder Creek Choral Society will include singers from Brewton and East Brewton. Auditions will begin January 4, and the group hopes to give its first performance in the spring or summer of 2009.
Shelley grew up in Brewton and graduated from T.R. Miller High School in 1984. He was active in both the band and the choir, and was recognized with various awards through his school years. He was selected to All-State Choir and All-State Red Band during his senior year. He won the John Philip Sousa Award as the band's outstanding senior having been trombone section leader for two consecutive years and also drum major as a senior.
After gradating from high school, Shelley joined the U.S. Air Force and was barely out of boot camp when he caught the eye of the Keesler Chorale. He was in the first week of his 16 months of electronics training at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi, when he learned a valuable lesson.
Shelley said he got to sing only once during that period and after he botched the lyrics, he was put right back at the piano.
After his training at Keesler, Shelley was assigned to a small radar unit in Zweibrucken, Germany.
After his stint in the armed forces, Shelley returned to Alabama, completing a bachelor of arts degree at the University of South Alabama. He worked with the University of South Alabama Department of Dramatic Arts and Mobile Theatre Guild. This connection led to his getting a chance to perform overseas in Ireland and Monaco. He was also able to sing with the mass choir at Mobile's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Shelley has now returned home to Brewton and want to use his experience and talents to benefit the local arts scene.
Auditions for Murder Creek Choral Society are scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009, at 2 p.m. at West Gate Village Community Room and Monday, Jan. 19, at 6:30 p.m. at East Brewton Civic Center. Interested adults 18 and over are needed, both male and female.