bio
Anita
DeNelle (Agee) Stotser
Huntsville, Alabama
General Background
DeNelle was born July 29, 1933 in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Her love for music
came from a musical family. Her mother was one of four singing sisters
that performed as the Smith Sisters. Her grandmother, Alice Smith, began
teaching
her piano when she was barely able to sit on the piano bench. She continued
her piano studies and eventually became a student of Leon Frank at Frank
School Of Music in Nashville, Tennessee for twelve years. She also studied
voice,
dance and speech there.
She married her college sweetheart, Don Stotser,
in 1953 the same day that he graduated and received a commission in the
Army. They moved 25 times in
their 30 years traveling with the military. They moved to Huntsville, Alabama
in the late seventies where Don eventually retired and the family settled.
Through the years DeNelle has continued to pursue her love for the arts.
She has had choir director and organist positions and as Minister of Music
for
many years. She has directed many secular choirs and choral groups. She
began leading worship in the early 70's when the congregations would sing
directly
from their Bibles.
PRESENT
She is a licensed minister in the Foursquare Church and is actively leading
worship in her church. She paints, directs The Fellowship Singers, writes
and arranges
music, and is a staff teacher at Colors Fine Art Center where she has 30
piano and voice students. She has been director of The Drake Street Regulars
from the
Huntsville Senior Center for 15 years where they enjoy weekly rehearsals
as well as perform in the community. She is an active member of the Huntsville
Music
Study Club.
She released her current CD project, Hear My Heart, a Praise and Worship CD, in the beginning of 2005. All of the music was written and arranged by DeNelle and performed by The Fellowship Singers and Orchestra. It was recorded by Allen Smith at Riverland Recording. DeNelle is currently working on two projects; another P & W recording and an Instrumental one.
Education
She graduated from Mt. Juliet High in 1950 and graduated from Middle Tennessee
State University in 1953. She is working toward her Masters Degree in Theology
and has been a part of many seminars, symposiums and teaching experiences
through the years.
Personal
DeNelle is married, has two children and four grandchildren.