Rev. Emory Andrews & Faith

Rev. Emory Andrews and Faith are renowned when it comes to the genre of gospel music. Singing the praises of God for decades now, the group’s award-winning Founder and Director, Rev. Emory Andrews, has a mission to share the love of God through song. Flaunting a fine group of singers, Faith has had opportunities to open for artists like Shirley Caesar and the late Albertina Walker and tour up and down the East Coast singing the best of gospel music.

A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Emory Andrews took a while to get bitten by the music bug. When suggested by his mother to take piano lessons, he was hesitant initially. But she saw something in him that he hadn’t recognized. As he studied, slowly but surely, he developed a love for the instrument. With the guidance of a mentor at the local university, Florida A&M University, he honed his musical talent. He ended up playing for the children’s choir at his church at the age of 7. Later, he went to a fine arts high school and studied music, ultimately graduating from Florida A&M University. He continued his education at Florida State University and National –Louis University in Education. His teaching career commenced in Florida, where he taught ten years, prior to relocating to the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

After coming to the Nation’s Capital, Rev. Dr. Emory Andrews started an ensemble called “Faith” in 1990. Convening at the Pilgrim Baptist Church in Northeast in The Nation’s Capital (where Andrews was the Minister of Music), the group began with 16 members. Flaunting the ability to glide easily from traditional to contemporary gospel, Faith’s purpose is clear. Over the years, a handful of members have come and gone from the singing aggregation, but the message in their music has never changed.

Since the group’s inception, they’ve toured and even ministered overseas, including Rome, Florence and Venice in Italy. They have been blessed to open for renowned artists such as former Caravan members, Albertina Walker and Shirley Caesar. Currently, the ensemble consists of 8 singers and 4 musicians. Most of the ensemble’s repertoire comes from the pen of Dr. Andrews, with a few written by Ignatius Perry, the keyboardist for the group. With a slew of moving gospel songs under their belts, one of Faith’s most requested songs is “There Must Be A God Somewhere”. The group has been a favorite wherever they’ve ministered.

In addition to singing and teaching gospel music in the church realm, Andrews has did the same in the secular realm as well. After moving to the area, his career took him to the District of Columbia Public School System, where he taught at Spingarn High School for ten years becoming Director of Choirs and Department Chairman. Prior to his move to the Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, Dr. Andrews was an adjunct professor and instructor at Florida A&M University, Bowie State University and University of the District of Columbia. Upon his arrival to Oxon Hill Science and Technology High School in Oxon Hill, MD, he formed the Vocal Music Department, which he now heads. He also became the school’s Director of Choirs and the Instructor for the Vocal Music Department.

One of his first acts in his new role was to form the Oxon Hill High School Choir. The group, made up of students with a love and a talent for music, study and learn vocal techniques from Dr. Andrews.

After receiving the Dean’s Award from the Gospel Music Workshop of America for his dedicated service to the faculty and workshop in 2009, the group recorded the second CD, Amazing, another student study in technology. This was the project that put the school choir on the gospel music map. Andrews was surprised when the choir received a Stellar Award nomination for Children’s CD of the Year at the 25th Annual Stellar Awards, an award that they ultimately won. “I never envisioned that they would actually vote for a high school choir to receiv