Date: Fri 21-Jun-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-10

Quick Words:

Georgia-Louis-gospel-Armstrong

Full Text:

(feature on Georgia Louis, gospel singer, 6/21/96)

Armstrong's "Goddaughter" Uses Music To Help Others

(with photo)

By June April

REDDING - The concentric circles of sound vibrate with a special energy

whenever Georgia Louis' gospel group, The Voices of Joy, performs.

"They've been called contagious," laughed Mrs Louis.

One of the reasons the seven members of Voices of Joy - Ms Louis, Father Burt

Pianciaro, Jennifer Durkin, Leanne Durkin, Pierre Guertin, Brett Hungerford

and David Scrofani - feel so good about what they do is because they usually

perform to help worthy causes. The next event on the group's itinerary is on

Sunday, June 23, in Westport.

At 7 pm, the Unitarian Church on Lyons Plains Road will be privy to the sweet

sounds of gospel music, by Voices of Joy and Weston's Good News Gospel Choir.

All proceeds will go to the Greater Bridgeport Area Foundation Camp Fund.

With the first groundswell of devoted followers, the group has decided to put

out its first compact disc.

"We're scheduled to begin recording the 25th of this month," Georgia stated

with a big grin.

Although it has been for four decades, Ms Louis says it feels like she has

been singing forever. She was the first black woman to have a

nationally-syndicated television gospel program - "It was on Channel 9 out of

New York, she recalled - while at the same time Louis was doing two radio

shows out of Connecticut.

Georgia Louis cut her first single in 1959 - "Walk With Me, Lord" - and her

career took off. The legendary Louis Armstrong heard her sing at a music

festival in the Bronx in 1963 and was so taken by her singing that he

"adopted" Georgia as his musical godchild. The Great Satchmo gave the young

singer the mouthpiece from his trumpet, a token of his respect and admiration.

"I still have it," Georgia says with a smile.

The pressures of a skyrocketing career were not what Ms Louis wanted as a

permanent lifestyle. So basically, she went into semi-retirement. But music is

in the blood, and being a giving person, Georgia ultimately moved into

teaching. It was through the joy and enthusiasm of her students that Voices of

Joy was created, two years ago.

"I selected six of my best students," Georgia explained, "and I have others,

`floaters,' that I call on if one of the group can't be there."

Christmas Eve of 1995 was the most memorable any of the group has had to date.

Voices of Joy went to Yale New Haven's "Make A Wish" children and performed

that night for the terminally ill children. Tears came to members' eyes as the

group shared feelings about that night. Voices of Joy has already done a

second benefit for the Make A Wish Foundation.

This year has already seen Voices of Joy singing in Easton to help call

attention to the "saving of Four-Corners," and a special benefit performance

at St. Philips Church in Norwalk to garner funds for the building of a youth

center.

Besides the upcoming recording date and impending Westport benefit on Sunday,

the group will perform in Cape Cod in July to assist in raising monies for

Habitat For Humanity.

Suggested donations for the June 23 Voices of Joy performance at the Unitarian

Church range from $10 to $30. The church is on Lyons Plains Road in Westport.

Tickets can be reserved in advance. Call 847-1390 for details.