The Funky Divas Of Gospel: Bio
Jim White - Soloist/Executive Producer
Jim White has been singing for as long as he can remember.
His mother was a professional singer/pianist who sang just about everything. “She was my greatest influence musically and encouraged me to sing. She taught me to appreciate all types of music . By watching her I learned how to perform for audiences and how to observe and listen to audiences - to connect with them”.
Jim was bitten by the R&B/soul bug when he was eleven years old when he bought his first album “Dance ‘til Quarter To Three” by Gary “U.S.” Bonds. "I played that album until the vinyl wore out", says White. "After that it was James Brown, Sam and Dave, Wilson Pickett and so many others. Today I still lean toward R&B but I also love folk, Celtic (yes Celtic), blues, pop standards and of course, gospel”.
Jim began singing professionally when he was fifteen and really hasn’t stopped. However what he does “to pay the bills” is shoot, direct and edit film and television productions. He also does voice-overs for radio and television, working from his home-studio for clients all over the U.S. He is currently working on a series of video and photo documentaries on Ireland. He is a music producer and by his own words, a barely competent guitarist who owns a lot of guitars (“does that make me a good guitarist?”). In 2000 he recorded his first solo CD called Hearts of Fire. In 2006 he released a new CD titled “Songs My Mother Sang” - available on this website. He co-produced the Divas CD “Don’t Stop At Half”, and will be returning to the studio in 2008 to produce the Divas third CD as well as a new solo Cd based on the music of T-Bone Walker. “I love singing Gospel. I love connecting with audiences, and I am thrilled to part of this very special group”.
Herman "Chubby" Boothe - Soloist
"Chubby", originally from Suffolk, Virginia; currently lives in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He has sung in the Virginia State Regional Choir and Zion Mass Choir in Lynn, Massachusetts. He is also a prolific song writer and has contributed some powerful music to the Divas' song list, including audience favorite "A Little Walk".
Chubby has been singing for thirty years with bands such as Chocolate Rock and The Fundamentals. He is the lead singer with the seacoast area's hottest Motown band Hello Detroit. In addition to all of that, he operates his own DJ Service, CB Productions.
Besides being a member of the full Divas' group, Chubby is also one fifth of the spin- off group, The Funky Divas of Gospel Quintet.
Chubby recently released a new solo CD titled "Walking With God", available on this website.
Michelle Franey - Choir Director
Michelle Franey
1990 - graduated from University of So. ME w/ BS in Music Education
1993 - 1995: Taught music, chorus and band at Dresden Elementary School, Dresden, ME
1997 - 2003: Taught music and chorus at Eliot Elementary and Marshwood Middle Schools
July 1998: Taught music K-12 at Casablanca American School for
International/Domestic Education Programs, Casablanca, Morocco
1986 - present: Teach private voice, guitar, piano lessons
2003 - present: Teach music classes for parents and children, infant through preschool
2006 - present: Music/Choir Director for Our Lady of the Angels Parish, The Berwicks
I currently live in South Berwick, Maine with my husband Tom, and our four children.
In addition to Casablanca, one of my greatest experiences was working with Chris
Brubeck (son of Dave Brubeck) as female lead in his original Christian musical
"David, Champion of Israel" in 1984 and again in 1985.
Patricia "Trish" English - Bass / Associate Band Leader
Trish lives in South Berwick, Maine, and been with the Divas for six years. She had never sung in a group before and joined the choir in 2002 at the urging of friends who were choir members at the time. She loved singing in the choir, hich started a creative surge that resulted in her starting bass guitar lessons the next day. Six months later, the Funky Divas of Gospel co-founder, Jim McDougall coached her through two songs during a gig and, as the saying goes, the rest is history. Trish continues to take lessons from her mentor and teacher Kent Allyn, practicing several hours per day.
At the age of 52 she feels she has found her true passion in life, sharing music through playing the bass and being part of this amazing group. And if this isn't enough, she plays with two other groups, The Dead Giveaways, and LJ Delta & The Lonesome Wolves.
Buzz Davenport - Soloist
Buzz Davenport's earliest memory of singing gospel is as a 4 yr old standing on a folding chair leading a choir at a Sunday afternoon Southern Baptist gospel sing. I only remember because I have seen pics of it! Grew up in a 10,000 member Southern Baptist church in Akron, Ohio, a hotbed of gospel singing in the north. Regulars at the church who always came by on tour were The Blackwood Bros; The Oak Ridge Boys; The Speer Family; The Statesmen Quartet and the locally based Cathedrals. Dad was the Sunday School Supt and I was always singing in a youth trio or quartet of some kind and we were always included in the great Sunday afternoon gospel sings with these great groups (we didn't know that they just thought we were cute). But I got to be on stage with them and get to know them firsthand and it became "what I did"... I sang. By the time high school came along, so did rock n roll and since I had been taking piano lessons since I was a little guy, I wanted to learn to play like my new rock hero's, ALL of whom had a gospel background. So I bought 45's of Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Fats Domino. There was nothing written down to follow in
the way of music so we would put the 45's on 33RPM and slow them down so we could figure what they were doing on the instruments (and often to figure the words as well). And thats how, between listening
to gospel groups and rock piano players that I developed into a singer.....Had a couple of good groups in HS and college: The Encores , The Casuals and The 4 Guys, but we, like so many just never quite got the "Big Break". At the same time I was doing this, I fully participated in several choirs, a madrigal group and allstate choir and played string bass in a combo that played most weekends for college
fraternity and sorority parties. Summers we played beachfront club dates. Did backup singing on quite a few recording sessions.....post college had a fling for a couple of summers in summer "music tent" productions...cont'd to do church dates.... spent one summer doing weddings... many funny stories about singing in 3-4 weddings in a day and sometimes 6 or 7 on a weekend.
Contracted "late onset" allergies in early 90's and lost my singing voice for about 10 yrs.... terrible experience....got the situation cleared up and have been doing "Diva Duty" ever since.
Barbara Whitney - Keyboards, Accordion, Percussion, Singer, Band Leader
Barb has had a great love of all music since before she could even walk. She began playing the piano at the age of five and then the accordian several years later. She graduated from UNH with a bachelors degree in music composition. Recently she has studied voice at the Jeannie Deva voice studio in Boston. Her latest passion is studying West African Drumming.
Barb is a prolific composer and song writer, with three songs having been performed by the Funky Divas. She is currently working on several recording projects of original music. One of them is a CD of music with Reiki meditations. Barb teaches music privately and also performs with the Jeannie Daniels Band, and with Lesley Smith and the Theater Of Life Puppets. Barb is the music director for Unity of the Seacoast and has written and performed over 20 songs for their services in the past year. She also has started a Drum Circle there which meets monthly and is open to anyone who wants to play. In her own words she says, "the Divas are a very funky group to play with. There is lots of great talent here and things are always changing. The group is truly a living, breathing entity".
Barbara Sanford-Epps - Soloist
BB joined the Funky Divas of Gospel in the spring of 2003. Besides soloing she has assisted as choir director when needed. Her background includes dance, music and art education. She received a vocal scholarship to Berklee College of Music and later graduated from Lesley University with a Masters in Education, specializing in creative arts and learning.
Her love of music and sharing the inspiration of gospel music is evident in her presence with the Divas. Barbara writes music and teaches vocal instruction at Tunetown in Wells, Maine. Other musical projects include singing in several choirs including the Berklee Reverence Gospel Ensemble, Berklee Concert Choir, Boston Community Choir, New Hope aptist “Voices of Hope”,. Concord Baptist “Divine Harmony” and her own band, Soulful Circle.
Barbara lives in Wells, ME with her two sons, Isaiah and Elijah.
Mary Carol Kennedy - Flute, Sax, Percussion
Mary Carol Kennedy has performed flute, saxophone, and vocals with a variety of music groups including the Tim Janis Ensemble, The Edith Jones Project, African Gospel Rhythms, Bannish Misfourtune, The Victory Swing Band and Windstrum. Her woodwind playing can be heard on "Etain", "Listen to the Children", "Beach Glass", "African Gospel Rhythms" and others. She completed her bachelor of music degree at the Hartt School of Music and is working towards her master in music degree at Longy School of Music