[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8912]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF DR. MICHAEL CHARLES

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                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 19, 2006

  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today to pay tribute to Dr. 
Michael Charles on his 50th Music Anniversary. Born in 1946 in Kansas 
City, Missouri, his musical road began with singing locally in the 
Novice Choir at Mariah Walker A.M.E. in 1956. He is known as a ``Son of 
Psalms'' and as an individual whose name has become synonymous with 
excellence in sacred music in many religious circles.
  Dr. Charles has sung individually and with various gospel and church 
groups, locally and across this country. He is fortunate to have 
performed at the Apollo Theater in New York City, and in many notable 
venues across our Nation. At one of his unforgettable engagements, Dr. 
Charles was able to meet and receive advice from the late, great, 
Mahalia Jackson, the First Lady of Gospel music.
  Through his association with various gospel groups, churches, and 
church related associations, in 1992 the ultimate recognition, an 
Honorary Doctorate in Sacred Music, was bestowed upon him by the 
Maryland School of Theology and Theism of Baltimore, Maryland. On a 
more personal level, I have been honored to have Dr. Charles' expertise 
as the Minister of Music for Saint James United Methodist Church, of 
which I am the Senior Pastor. He has shown enormous energy while 
facilitating our music ministry which consists of eight singing units, 
two liturgical dance groups, and a seventeen member music staff. This 
has lead to the recording of two compact discs, ``I Will Lift Up Mine 
Eyes Unto the Hills,'' and ``A Celebration of Praise.''
  Dr. Charles composed a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. the day 
after he was assassinated, called ``Freedom After While.'' This 
composition is sung as the finale each year at the Southern Christian 
Leadership Conference's Martin Luther King Celebration in Kansas City, 
Missouri. It is sung with such feeling and emotion that there is hardly 
a dry eye in the crowd. I may be biased in my praise of him because he 
is one of my parishioners, but I am privileged to hear Dr. Charles' 
music and deeply appreciate the time and care he takes with our 
congregation. May God continue to bless him and give him inspiration.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to 
Dr. Michael Charles for his fifty years of utilizing music as a means 
to bring people and God together, not only within the boundaries of 
Missouri's Fifth Congressional District which I represent, but within 
the United States and the entire global community. He represents the 
best in all of us. I urge my colleagues of the 109th Congress to please 
join me in congratulating Dr. Michael Charles on celebrating his 50th 
Musical Anniversary.

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