The CMI Story
Extra Ordinary is common for these Ordinary People
Just ordinary people
God uses ordinary people
He uses people who are willing
to do what He commands.
For little becomes much
when you place it in the Master’s Hand.
It was a hot summer day in July, 1972. Nearly 100 singers, musicians, dancers and production specialists combined their talents in the parking lot of a church in a modest neighborhood in Detroit and led the hundreds in the audience in a spectacular 2-hour Freedom Celebration.
Somewhere down deep in the very soul of every participant an unquenchable spark was ignited. The idea was born that day which would spread like a wild fire, and would make an impact on the entire world.
Never in their wildest imagination could anyone in that parking lot have imagined where the idea of “taking music to our world” would lead.
Here are just a few of the highlights of 50 consecutive years of making beautiful music for tens of thousands of people:
Who are these people and are they not professionals or music majors or well-known recording artists? Actually, their story is even more amazing because they are just ordinary people. But, never assume they are not special.
They are committed to excellence
They are focused on the task
They are given to personal sacrifice
They have fire in their bellies
They have a twinkle in their eyes
They have joy that explodes when they sing and play and dance
They have a passion to please God
They will not be denied
They will not be detoured
They will do whatever it takes to take music to their world.
They are the The American Song Machine, Miss Kathey’s Academy for the Performing Arts, The CMI Band, The St. Louis Concert Choir, The Thurlow Spurr Singers, along with the featured soloists and a crew of talented sound and lighting specialists, costume designers, set builders and special effects coordinators.