Our first faculty spotlight of this year is the well known Lee couple Dr. and Mrs. Sheeks. In Fall 2018, the Randy and Debbie Sheeks took over as directors of Ladies of Lee, and have even released a new album showcasing the choir’s growth. We had a chance to ask them a few questions about their time at Lee, and the impact the choir has made in the recent years.

Check out a small glimpse of their newest CD at the bottom of the page!

Q: How long have you both been at Lee?

D: We are in our 10^th year of teaching at Lee.

Q: What is it like working together as a married couple?

R: It’s pretty wonderful to share so much of life together. However, you do have to be intentional to be sure you have a life outside of Lee. We enjoy our family, reading, movies, and a good trip to the beach. Then I am a huge North Carolina Basketball fan as well. (Don’t ask how I’m enjoying this season.)

D: Working together is wonderful!  We have been a team now for many years and it is our “normal” mode of life.  There are times of compromise and “give and take”, but for the most part, we manage that pretty well.  I think we both know we have certain strengths and try to use those in our work.

Q: The new Ladies of Lee album is finally out!  What are your favorite songs? 

D: Hiding Place, The Lord’s Prayer and Goodness of God.

R: We love them all for different reasons. The Ladies really did a great job recording these at the end of the fall semester. They recorded 8 songs in just two sessions and then we used recordings from previous semesters to round out the project. If I have to pick favorites, they would be The Lord’s Prayer, You Are My Hiding Place, The Goodness of God, and Psalm 23.

Q: What was the process like creating the album? Was it difficult to choose the songs? 

R: We really did not make song selection a difficult process. We chose songs that we were singing last semester and tried to choose things that represented some of the eclectic mix of songs in our repertoire. 

D: The Ladies of Lee made this process a real joy!  They came focused and prepared to work hard and give their best energy and vocal skills. 

Q: Why did you create the album? 

R: The number one motivation to record last semester was to provide an avenue for the Ladies to raise money for a European tour scheduled for May. We were able to record using funds raised last semester and allow the choir members to sell the CDs with 100% of the profit going toward their trip. This has been a nice way for the Ladies to raise money for the trip. Each choir member must raise $3500 so this was a great start. 

Q: What’s one goal for the Ladies of Lee this year of 2020?

R: In addition to emphasizing choral excellence and the Christian community within the group, the Europe trip is a huge goal. We will perform in 3 countries (Hungary, Czechnia, and Germany) and get to visit 5 (add France and Austria). We will sing in schools, churches, and a military base. One of the major stops on our trip will be Lee’s sister school, The European Theological Seminary in Kniebis, Germany. This is obviously a huge undertaking for the choir. The trip is scheduled for May 9-22. We believe it is a God-ordained opportunity to share the message of Christ through the unique and beautiful sounds of the Ladies of Lee. While it’s lot of work, it will be worth it!