26 news items to display

Fourth new member added in three weeks

 Date Posted: Wed, Oct 29 2025

We sang in our fourth new member in three weeks - a quadruple "yay"!!!! (With four exclamation marks, too!) Last week Kaleigh Brendle officially joined our baritone section, and we're so, so glad to have her in the mix and in our midst.

In the first photo, Kaleigh receives her chorus pin from VP/membership chair Sallie Rose Hollis. In the second photo, Director Candice Bassett presents Kaleigh with her membership certificate.

   

Two more members added to chorus

 Date Posted: Thu, Oct 23 2025
Double the joy, double the harmony! 🎵 We were delighted to welcome TWO new members to our chorus family at this week's rehearsal - Elaine Thompson, lead, and Charlene Martin, baritone. Their presence adds heart and harmony to our growing chorus, and we’re eager to see where the music takes us next. 🎶 Here, Elaine and Charlene receive their membership certificates from Candice Bassett, director, and Sallie Rose Hollis, VP and membership chair.



 

New baritone joins chorus

 Date Posted: Thu, Oct 16 2025
We sang in a brand-new voice at our Oct. 9 rehearsal - welcome, welcome, welcome to Lindsey Desidere! 🎶 She’s bringing her voice to the baritone section, and the entire chorus is thrilled to have her harmony in the mix. Can’t wait to share the stage together soon! 🌟These photos show baritone section leader Sallie Rose Hollis presenting Lindsey with her chorus pin and Director Candice Bassett presenting her with her chorus certificate.

Four singers pass audition

 Date Posted: Mon, Oct 6 2025
Yes, it was smiles all around at last week's after-rehearsal trip to Dairy Queen Grill & Chill for our Blizzard Blitz. And that merriment was for far more than the tasty ice cream. Among these women are four - count 'em! - four singers who passed their Southern A'Chord audition! Congratulations to Charlene Martin, Kaleigh Brendle, Lindsey Desidere and Elaine Thompson - three new baritones and one new lead! We're looking forward to making beautiful music together!!!



 

Second week of Membership Drive still rocking

 Date Posted: Sun, Sep 28 2025
✨ We’re grateful for our wonderful guests who continue to join us during our 2025 Membership Drive! It’s such a joy to share music and camaraderie with them.

This past rehearsal, we had four returning visitors from the first night of the drive - and one new guest as well! (One person had to leave early, so unfortunately she missed this photo op.) Several are planning to become part of the chorus. More visitors are expected to attend in the weeks to come.

If you're a female singer in North Louisiana and are still pondering about this, take your cue from these women. It's great, great fun and very rewarding!

Membership Drive a success - and is ongoing

 Date Posted: Tue, Sep 23 2025

So far during our 2025 Membership Drive we have welcomed seven fantastic guests (along with two of their moms who were in from out of town and just observing). There is fabulous talent in this group, and we are looking forward to several of them becoming members.

For those interested singers who were unable to attend last week's rehearsal, the door to harmony is still open! Please come visit us during another rehearsal in the upcoming weeks.

And please send us a message to our Membership Chair, Sallie Rose Hollis, if you have questions (sallierose@mail.com).

Southern A'Chord offers fall membership drive - Ruston Living clipping

 Date Posted: Sun, Sep 14 2025
Attachment:
Word document of news release

Chorus to hold Membership Drive

 Date Posted: Thu, Sep 4 2025

North Louisiana women who love to sing …

Come harmonize with

Southern A'Chord Chorus

during our

Membership Drive

A cappella fun * Friendship * Community

6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, Fellowship Hall, Presbyterian Church of Ruston

www.southernachordchorus.org

Invitation to sing with us!

 Date Posted: Tue, Aug 5 2025
North Louisiana women who love to sing …

Come harmonize with 

Southern A'Chord Chorus!

* A cappella fun * Friendship * Community *

Rehearsals 6 p.m. Thursdays, Fellowship Hall, Presbyterian Church of Ruston

Message us – or stop by. We'd love to sing with you!

Our first community performance is in the books!

 Date Posted: Sat, Aug 2 2025



Southern A'Chord wrapped up our very first community performance Thursday night, July 31 - and we’re now feeling grateful, energized and (yes) proud. A big thank-you to everyone who braved the weather to come out and support us! We had a wonderful evening of music, connection and (again, yes!) cookies.We’re off to a great start, and we’re looking ahead to what’s next. If you’re a woman who loves to sing, we’d love for you to be part of it.

Top photo: All members who were at the performance posed for a formal group shot.

Bottom photo: The chorus delivering one of the songs during the performance.

Ruston Daily Leader spotlights our first local performance

 Date Posted: Fri, Jul 18 2025


Southern A'Chord to present
first community performance


Southern A'Chord, Ruston's new women's a cappella chorus, will present its first community performance at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 31, in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian Church of Ruston.

The program, which the group hopes will become a twice-yearly tradition, will feature a mix of patriotic, gospel and pop songs.

Admission to "Southern A'Chord: Songs of Summer" is free, and refreshments will be served following the performance. Donations will be accepted from those who wish to support the group's musical mission.

Formed in late 2024, Southern A'Chord exists to bring music and joy to the community – through song and the rich tradition of unaccompanied vocal harmony.

"Our goal is to uplift, entertain and create connection through the joy of singing," said Judy Sisson, of Monroe, the group's newly elected president and a longtime a cappella singer. "We hope our music brings a smile and maybe even inspires others to sing with us."

The group is led by musical director Candice Bassett, of Grayson, and is growing steadily. Southern A'Chord welcomes new members, at this time especially those who sing in the alto range to fill the dynamic and harmony-rich baritone part.

For more information, visit the Facebook page Southern A'Chord Chorus or the website www.southernachordchorus.org. Interested singers can also attend a Thursday rehearsal at 6 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church of Ruston or contact membership chair Sallie Rose Hollis at sallierose@mail.com.

Caption:

A portion of Southern A'Chord gathered during the holidays for an outdoor singing event. From left: Anne Garay, Kesha Jean Batiste, Judy Sisson, Jan Lenard, Tina Allen, Candice Bassett, Michelle Jones, RozAnne Bell, Sallie Rose Hollis, Rachel Grider and Kim Gronewold.
 

Southern A'Chord: Songs of Summer - A Community Performance

 Date Posted: Thu, Jul 3 2025



Southern A'Chord:
Songs of Summer
A community performance

A combination of patriotic, gospel and pop
delivered in four-part a cappella harmony
by the region's newest women's chorus!

7 p.m. Thursday, July 31
Fellowship Hall, Presbyterian Church of Ruston
212 North Bonner St., Ruston

Admission free. Donations accepted. Refreshments served afterward.

Website: www.southernachordchorus.org

Facebook: Southern A'Chord Chorus

No rehearsal on July 3

 Date Posted: Tue, Jul 1 2025


No rehearsal this week due to Fourth of July celebrations.

Happy Independence Day!

 

Chorus welcomes new officers, board members

 Date Posted: Wed, Jun 4 2025

The newly elected board of directors for Southern A'Chord Chorus are (from left) Judy Sisson, president; Sallie Rose Hollis, vice president; Jan Lenard, secretary; Tina Allen, treasurer; and Kesha Jean Batiste and Anne Garay, board members.

Southern A'Chord welcomes
new officers, board members

Southern A'Chord Chorus is entering into its first full year with a new slate of officers that was installed in May.

Heading up the slate is Judy Sisson as president, with Sallie Rose Hollis as vice president, Tina Allen as treasurer and Jan Lenard as secretary. Additional board members are Anne Garay and Kesha Jean Batiste.

Southern A'Chord made its debut last fall as a new women's community chorus that currently draws members from Lincoln, Ouachita and Caldwell parishes.

Sisson said the chorus is experiencing steady growth, with one of the aims being to deliver more area performances in the near future.

"This year, our goal is to add voices, build connections and share the joy that singing brings," Sisson said. "Our main purpose is to bring harmony and inspiration to more audiences across the region. So, ladies, if you'd like to have great musical fun while giving back to the community, come join us."

Since last fall's launch, four new members have been added to the chorus roster: RozAnne Bell, Rachel Grider, Rebekah Heiden and Megan Smith.

In addition to the incoming board, charter members include Candice Bassett, director; Lynette Murphy, assistant director for musical expression; and singers Kim Gronewold, Michelle Jones, Rebecca McNeill and Mary Helen Tschabold.

Southern A'Chord sings four-part a cappella harmony.

The chorus meets at 6 p.m. Thursdays in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian Church of Ruston, 212 N. Bonner. For more information, contact Hollis at sallierose@mail.com.
 

Second new member in two months!

 Date Posted: Wed, May 28 2025
Left photo: Director Candice Bassett (left) and Sallie Rose Hollis, vice president/membership chair, present Megan Smith with her member certificate and gift bag.

Right photo: Sponsor Michelle Jones places a chorus pin on Megan's shirt during the sing-in celebration.















 
We're happy to announce that we have sung in new member Megan Smith, who is joining our lead section. This is the second addition to our ranks within two months!

Megan, we're so glad to have you as our Singing Sister. Welcome, welcome, welcome!

We look forward to making beautiful music - and great memories - together!

No rehearsal this week, April 17, 2025

 Date Posted: Tue, Apr 15 2025
We'll be back next week, April 24! Happy Easter!!!

We've sung in another new member!

 Date Posted: Thu, Apr 10 2025
We sang in new member Rebekah Heiden during the April 3 rehearsal. Rebekah, we're so glad to have you as our Singing Sister! Welcome, welcome, welcome!

Rebekah is a wonderful addition to our lead section. We look forward to making beautiful music together in the future!

Oh ... and this was the first time we used our new sing-in song, "Consider Yourself." Plus, we had our April birthday celebration that night So there were THREE majorly fun things that happened at that rehearsal!

Rebekah is shown here with Michelle Jones, who is her friend and mentor and who invited her to visit Southern A'Chord during our Welcome Night last September.
 

April 17 rehearsal canceled

 Date Posted: Wed, Apr 9 2025



Our April 17 rehearsal is canceled due to scheduling conflicts regarding events at our rehearsal hall and also because of Easter-related activities among chorus members.

We'll be back in the swing of things April 24!

Rehearsal time changed to 6 p.m. Thursdays

 Date Posted: Wed, Feb 5 2025



Starting this week (Feb.ruary 6), our rehearsals will begin at 6 p.m. instead of 6:30, while still ending around 8:30. This extra 30 minutes will give us more time to refine our sound and prepare for upcoming performances. Thanks for adjusting. See you at 6!

A good day in El Dorado in spite of the rain

 Date Posted: Mon, Dec 16 2024

Our El Dorado performance set for Dec. 14 fell victim to that day's rain; however, we still managed to have a good time.

The performance - scheduled for DP’s Food Truck Park - was called off while we were en route. So we converged on the park, learned of the situation (wet benches and tables, very limited number of vendors, part of day's festivities canceled, etc.) and decided to go to Larry's Pizza, where we had a marvelous time. The pizza is stupendous, the staff is friendly and proficient, and there's a piano and gifted pianist on the premises. What's more, we got to sing "Jingle Bells," "Diddly Squat" and "Happy Birthday Doo Wop" (the latter, to a 9-year-old boy).

Both the food truck park and Larry's are worth a visit if you're ever in El Dorado or just passing through. One of our members stops at Larry's every time she makes the journey from Louisiana to northern Arkansas or Missouri. Lemons because of the cancellation? Naaah .... lemonade!

Photo captions:

#1: We took to the stage at the food truck park anyway. It was a good excuse for a group picture - and it was out of the rain. 🙂 From left: Anne Garay, Kesha Jean Batiste, Judy Sisson, Jan Lenard, Tina Allen, Candice Bassett, Michelle Jones, RozAnne Bell, Sallie Rose Hollis, Rachel Grider and Kim Gronewold.

#2: Around the table at Larry's Pizza. From left: RozAnne Bell, Kesha Jean Batiste, Sallie Rose Hollis, Candice Bassett, Rachel Grider, Michelle Jones, Judy Sisson, Jan Lenard, Kim Gronewold and Anne Garay.

#3: Another group pose, this time in our designated singing spot at Larry's Pizza.. If you look closely, perhaps you can see the piano in the background. Here's where we sang "Jingle Bells" and "Diddly Squat." From left: RozAnne Bell, Anne Garay, Judy Sisson, Kesha Jean Batiste, Jan Lenard, Candice Bassett, Michelle Jones, Sallie Rose Hollis, Rachel Grider and Kim Gronewold.







 

Two new members added to chorus

 Date Posted: Thu, Dec 12 2024
As a result of our Welcome Night in the fall, Southern A'Chord has added two new members: Rachel Grider, tenor, and RozAnne Bell, lead. We are SO happy to add them to our roster and welcome them as our newest singing sisters!

Left photo: President Lynette Murphy pins Rachel during her Welcome Celebration. Right photo: Director Candice Bassett presents RozAnne with her membership certificate.


Butter Braid Bread - another fundraising success thanks to our supporters!

 Date Posted: Wed, Nov 13 2024

Our Butter Braid bread was delivered today. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and it was a resounding success. We raised over $1,400!

People just LOVE this bread, especially around the holidays. If you didn't get a chance to order this year, hopefully we'll have it available for you in 2025.

For everyone who ordered, we sing your praises! As a newly started organization, such support helps us greatly. We hope to see you at a future performance!

Southern A'Chord Blizzard Blitz set for Oct. 10

 Date Posted: Mon, Oct 7 2024
Update: We earned over $250 through our Blizzard Blitz! Thanks to all who came out and supported us. Here's a shot of several of us who went to Dairy Queen after rehearsal that night. Food, fun and fellowship - can't be beat! From left: Jan Lenard, RozAnne Bell, Anne Garay, Sallie Rose Hollis and Candice Bassett.

-------------------------------

Southern A'Chord will sponsor a Blizzard Blitz at the Ruston Dairy Queen's Cooktown Road location all day Thursday, Oct. 10. For every Blizzard purchased, the chorus will receive $1. Funds will go toward laying the foundation for our new women's community a cappella chorus. Several chorus members will be there after rehearsal around 9 p.m. if you would like to join us.

A wonderful Welcome Night

 Date Posted: Fri, Sep 13 2024
We had 11 visitors attend our Welcome Night on Sept. 12. Yay! The sound was incredible as we blended all our voices. Thanks so much to all who attended; we hope you return in the future. Anyone out there who may have had time conflicts, please plan to attend an upcoming rehearsal; they're always open to visitors. "There's a new chorus in town" - and it's gathering momentum. (One visitor had to leave early, so the bottom pic contains only 10 people.)

New women's chorus launches in Ruston

 Date Posted: Mon, Sep 2 2024

A new melody is rising in Ruston as Southern A'Chord, a women's community a cappella chorus, announces its formation and invites area residents to a harmonious beginning.

The group will host a Welcome Night on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian Church of Ruston, 212 N. Bonner.

Chorus leaders say Southern A'Chord's purpose is to bring music to the community and to provide a place for women to enjoy and grow their musical skills.

All women who have a love for singing are encouraged to attend the recruitment event. It will provide a chance to meet the director and fellow singers, discover more about the chorus's mission and upcoming activities, and experience the delight of singing in a group.

"The group is more than just a chorus," said Lynette Murphy, of Choudrant, assistant director for musical expression. "It's a celebration of the joys of singing and the uplifting power of music. Singing is a journey of the soul that connects us to the deepest parts of ourselves and to each other.

"There's something truly magical about coming together to create harmony," explained Murphy, who also serves as chorus president. "Singing not only lifts the spirit but also promotes a sense of unity."

The chorus Music Staff is led by Director Candice Bassett, of Grayson, who believes in the transformative power of music. "When we sing, we create a space where every voice matters. It's not just about the notes on the page. It's about the stories we tell and the community we build – a community where women can support each other, learn together and perform for the joy of our audiences."

With a repertoire that spans pop, patriotic, gospel and holiday, Southern A'Chord offers a sound that resonates with diverse audiences. As a new non-profit organization, the chorus has a roster of 14 members from multiple parishes.

"We’re committed to helping our members find their voice and use it confidently," Bassett said. "Our rehearsals are a place of discovery, where the art of a cappella singing – especially barbershop – can be embraced. We're excited to build this sisterhood and share our love of music with Ruston and beyond."
 
Regular rehearsals are held Thursdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the same location as the guest night. Visitors and singers from other groups are welcome any time.

Southern A'Chord is not yet affiliated with any other organizations but would like to partner with local arts and community groups to serve North Louisiana, its leaders say. One of the chorus goals is to do community service outreach.

Bassett has extensive a cappella chorus training and background, having earned a director's certification and international medals with other singing groups. Murphy is the choir director and piano teacher for Ruston High School and serves as worship leader for First Baptist Church in Choudrant.

For more information concerning either membership or booking a performance, visit the website southernachordchorus.org or the Facebook page Southern A'Chord Chorus, or contact Murphy at 501-318-8701.

Photo info:

Directors and officers from recently created Southern A'Chord Chorus are inviting others to join. Back row, from left: Candice Bassett, director; Lynette Murphy, assistant director for musical expression; Sallie Rose Hollis, assistant director for visual expression. Front row: Judy Sisson, secretary; Tina Allen, treasurer.
 

Latest news soon to come .... stay tuned!

 Date Posted: Wed, Jul 10 2024
Southern A'Chord is getting ready to join the North Louisiana arts scene very soon! We're  excited about it!!! Hope to see many of you at our recruitment event in the near future.