Author: aworkonawheel

Tyler R. Gruttemeyer

Tyler R. GruttemeyerIntroducing our instructor of the day Mr. Tyler R. Gruttemeyer. Tyler Gruttemeyer is about to embark on his 3rd year as the Director of Vocal Music at South High Magnet School in Omaha, Nebraska. Omaha South is proud to be the Visual and and Performing Arts, Duel Language and Informational Technology Magnet High School for the Omaha Public Schools District. He received his Bachelor of Music Education Degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the spring of 2013. At South he proudly directs the Concert Choir, Radiance and Ambassadors Show Choirs, and the a Cappella ensemble. He is currently the interim director of the Faith Singers High School Chorus at Countryside Community Church, and the biggest Nebraska Cornhusker fan around.

Peggy Jones

Peggy JonesPeggy Jones has a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting, drawing, and printmaking from UNL. She has exhibited her art around the country, winning first prize in a Nebraska Association of Art Teachers exhibit. She received an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Nebraska Arts Council for her play, The Journey, about Aaron Douglas, arguably the Father of African American Art. He was the first Black graduate from the art department at UNL in 1922. It has been performed in 2013 at the Rose Theater, and at UNO & UNMC in February, 2015. She is also in the Speaker’s Bureau of Humanities Nebraska on the topic, Aaron Douglas, UNL ’22. She is an Associate Professor of Black Studies at UNO.

Percy Bady

Percy Bady
While often regarded as one of the main figures in modern Gospel & R&B music, Percy Bady has been involved in 26 platinum and gold records. In 2003, he released his first solo album, The Percy Bady Experience, which reached #22 on the Top Gospel Albums. In 2012, he signed a record deal with Marantha! Music. In 2013, he released his second solo album, Kingdom Inspiratons, which charted #17 on the Top Gospel Albums and #35 on the Top Heatseekers. His single I Won’t Give Up charted #22 the same year. In 2014, he gained a Grammy Award nomination for his song Still (feat. Lowell Pye) in the category Best Gospel Song. As a singer, musician, producer, arranger and composer, he has worked with R. Kelly, Whitney Houston, Michelle Williams, Dionne Warwick, Yolanda Adams, Michael McDonald, Fred Hammond, Kirk Franklin as well as Marvin Sapp.

Benita Bellamy

Benita Bellamy
Benita Bellamy is a Marketing and Public Relations executive with over 15 years of experience in the arts and entertainment. She is the founder and CEO of The Bellamy Group, LLC. Benita spent 5 years with EMI Christian Music Group/EMI Gospel as Marketing Manager working with Stellar and Grammy Award winning artists Smokie Norful, CeCe Winans and The Blind Boys of Alabama, Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers, Bishop T.D. Jakes and the Potter’s House Choir, Aaron Neville, Darwin Hobbs, and many others. She was a Marketing and Publications Manager for Imagination Stage Performing Arts Center (Bethesda, MD), then repositioned back into music as Label Manager for Sanctuary Records Group (Silver Spring, MD) – Reggae and Catalog division managing projects for legendary reggae artists Steel Pulse, Luciano and the late Gregory Isaacs. She also developed the National Promotions Department for Light Records (Nashville, TN) and was quickly elevated to Vice President of Marketing leading the new radio and retail promotions team with an artist roster that included: Shirley Caesar, J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise, RiZen, Bishop Paul Morton, Zie’l, Coko and Judith Christie-McAllister.

Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus, Senior Pastor

Bachus2013-2   Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus was born in Helena, Arkansas but relocated shortly after with his family to Kansas City, Kansas, where his father still serves as pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Pastor Bachus accepted Christ at an early age and accepted his “call to the ministry” while a freshman in college. The former public elementary school teacher originally decided to work part-time in the ministry, but sensed the call to further prepare himself for full-time ministry.

Pastor Bachus received a B.S. in Elementary Education from Emporia State University, the Master of Divinity from the School of Theology of Virginia Union University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude, and the Doctorate of Ministry from the United Theological Seminary of Dayton, Ohio.

Pastor Bachus served as the Senior Pastor of First Union Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia and the Shiloh Baptist Church in Dayton, Ohio before being called as Senior Pastor of Salem Baptist Church in Omaha, Nebraska. He is married to the former Marla Shirley and has two sons: Selwyn Q. Bachus II and Myles Christian Jerome Bachus.

Pastor Bachus is a firm believer that a strong intimate relationship with God combined with a commitment to education has helped him to achieve in his life and he readily recommends this to today’s youth.

Pastor Bachus was recognized as one of the top 20 young pastors to watch in the nation by the African-American Pulpit Journal (Summer 2005). This year he will celebrate over 10 years as Senior Pastor of Salem and over 30 years of preaching.

Memberships and Affiliations:

National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.; Ohio Baptist General Convention, Statistical Secretary; Dayton Baptist Ministers Union; Baptist General Convention of Virginia; Tuckahoe Baptist Association of Virginia, Third Vice Moderator; Baptist Ministers Conference of Richmond, Virginia, Financial Secretary, Second Vice President; and NAACP Member.

Ananias Montague, Camp Director and Minister of Music and Fine Arts

10299924_1683044401967919_4387779068101475360_nAnanias Montague, Camp Director and Minister of Music and Fine Arts

Ananias “Markey” Montague was born and raised in Chicago, IL. He has worked with Richard Smallwood, Ricky Dillard, Kim McFarland, Lyle Lovett and many others. He has also toured Europe spreading the Gospel through song. Ananias is currently working on a dual Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Biblical Studies. His motto is “Be authentic in everything”.