1891 ? – 1963 ?

  The only known photo of Arizona Dranes shows her
seated at a piano, right.

One of the first gospel artists to bring the musical styles of Holiness churches’ religious music to the public in her records for Okeh and performances in the 1920s. She introduced piano accompaniment to Holiness music, which had previously been largely a cappella, and accompanied herself in the barrelhouse and ragtime styles popular at the time. She is believed [although not clearly documented] to be of both African-American and Mexican descent.

Born blind in Sherman, Texas around 1891, she attended the Texas Institute for Deaf, Dumb and Blind Colored Youth in Austin from 1897 to 1910, according to records discovered by Austin writer Michael Corcoran. After graduating from the Texas Institute, she lived in Dallas and played piano for Church of God in Christ. She began recording in 1926 , first as a solo artist and later with choirs and various other artists and groups. Although she last recorded in 1928 , she continued touring through the 1940s. Later gospel artists, such as Roberta Martin and Clara Ward, were heavily influenced by her piano playing; Dranes’ nasal singing style also had an impact on artists such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

Chicago, IL.

The Fellowship Choir featuring Sister Loretta Oliver calls Chicago home, refered to by it’s members as “the ship”, Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church was founded by Rev. Dr. Clay Evans in 1950.
He has and is a leader in the Civil Rights Movement since 1965. He is the Founding National Board Chairman of Operation, (PUSH) and he held this position for five years. Reverend Evans has been a featured soloist on albums with the Voice Choir of the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church and with the Voice Choir of the African American Religious Connection(AARC), winning the 1996 Stellar Award for Best Gospel Album of the Year, which included the song “I’ve Got a Testimony”. Reverend Evans retired on December 8, 2000 as the Pastor of the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church and now holds the title of Founder and Senior Pastor of the church.