[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 132 (Friday, September 7, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1830]]
                        TRIBUTE TO TERRY FRIDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 7, 2007

  Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life 
of Mr. Terry Friday and to express my deepest sympathy to his family on 
his passing on September 1, 2007.
  Terry Friday was born on December 26, 1950, in Columbia, South 
Carolina to Joseph C. and Leola Lee Friday. A child prodigy, his 
musical genius became evident during his early years, and his family 
began to expose him to the world of music.
  At the age of 6, he began his formal music training under his first 
piano teacher, Mrs. Margaret Thornton, who nurtured his love for music 
and encouraged what would become Terry's lifelong passion, sharing his 
musical gift with others. As he progressed through the Columbia public 
schools, other nurturing music teachers included Mrs. Haggler at 
Roosevelt Village Elementary School, Mrs. Barbara Bailey, and Mrs. Edna 
Pough, all of whom had a profound influence on his early training.
  Terry excelled in almost all instruments, not only piano and organ. 
His special gift allowed him to play the flute, clarinet, French horn, 
drums, bells, and saxophone. His musical repertoire spanned the full 
range of music--classical, jazz, religious, hymns, spirituals and 
anthems, and contemporary gospel music.
  Mr. Friday graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1969, 
where he was a member of the Marching 100 school band under the 
direction of the late Mr. ``Pop'' June. He continued his education at 
the University of South Carolina where he received his Bachelor of Arts 
(1973) and Master's (1979) degrees in Music.
  During his high school years, Terry began his Church music ministry 
at Friendship African Methodist Episcopal Church, a church founded by 
his grandparents. He later served the Union Baptist Church of Columbia. 
In 1970, at only 20 years old, he became the organist at Ridgewood 
Missionary Baptist Church, where he served until 1989. It was during 
his tenure that the Ridgewood choir earned a national reputation for 
musical excellence.
  In 1989, Mr. Friday was called to Washington, DC as the minister of 
music at the historic Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, 
the national cathedral of the AME church. During his tenure at 
Metropolitan, he served as musician/director at many prestigious events 
and ceremonies, most notably the Inaugural Prayer Services for 
President William Jefferson Clinton in 1993 and 1997 respectively.
  In September of 1998, Terry was named Minister of Music at the 
Nineteenth Street Baptist Church of Washington, the oldest African 
American Baptist congregation in the nation's capital. Highly sought 
after by churches and choral groups, one of Terry's crowning 
achievements was playing the organ at the Washington National 
Cathedral.
  Mr. Friday leaves behind legions of choirs, orchestras, and 
ensembles, all of whom benefited from his musical genius. One of his 
greatest joys was to feel the response of great choirs, as he 
accompanied them on the organ. On Saturday, September 7, friends and 
colleagues from across the country will gather at the Union Baptist 
Church in Columbia, South Carolina for funeral services and to 
celebrate the life of this great musician.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the life and legacy of Mr. 
Terry Friday, and I offer my deepest condolences to his family and 
friends.

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