W. Clifford Petty

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Mr. W. Clifford Petty was born on September 24, 1967 in Eufaula, Alabama. He completed his primary education in the Eufaula City Schools System and graduated from Eufaula High School in 1986. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocal Music Performance (1991) and Master of Music Education (1999) degrees from Alabama State University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and received the Presser Scholarship, which is the highest honor given to a music student. He is a singer, musician, recording artist, producer, composer and arranger with several works to his credit including several Gospel Masses.

Mr. Petty spent the first decade of his professional career teaching music at the historic Saint Jude High School in Montgomery, Alabama, where he also served as Chairman of the Fine Arts Department. During this time, he also served as District Music Supervisor for the Montgomery District of the Churches of God in Christ. Mr. Petty has also served as Music Director/presenter for the Joint Conference of African American Priests, Sisters, Deacons and Seminarians, Pastoring in African American Parishes Conference, Evangelization Conference, Unity Explosion Liturgical Conference, Archbishop James Patterson Lyke Conference, National Catholic Development Conference (NCDC), National Association of Treasurers of Religious Institutions (NATRI), University of Houston Ministry Conference, Los Angeles Religious Education Congress and many other conventions. An active conductor, composer, educator, and clinician, Petty has taught choral music at the elementary, secondary, and university levels.

Presently, he is the Pastoral Musician, and Artist in Residence Resurrection Catholic Church in Montgomery, Alabama. He also teaches music at Resurrection Catholic School. He has served on the Board of Directors for Montgomery AIDS Outreach, The Greater Montgomery AIDS Task Force, Look Up Ministries and Alpha Upsilon Lambda Educational Foundation. He also is a member of several organizations such as: The Thurston G. Frazier Memorial Chorale, The Good Ground Ensemble, The American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Music Educators National Conference (MENC), Alabama Vocal Association (AVA) National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Professional Music Fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Knights of Peter Claver. He has received such honors as: Marquis 2007 & 2008’s Who’s Who In America, Metropolitan 2007/2008 Who’s Who Among Executives & Professionals, Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities, Outstanding College Students of America, Phi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honor Society, Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, Alabama State Governor and Democratic Party's Excellence in Teaching Award and numerous others.

Mr. Petty is a composer, producer and recording artist for World Library Publications, music and liturgy division of J.S. Paluch Company, Inc. His music has been showcased at the 2006 (AGO) American Guild of Organist Convention in Chicago, L.A. Religious Education Congress, and the National Pastoral Musicians Conventions in Cincinnati, OH, Milwaukee, WI and Indianapolis, IN. Recent published compositions include: “Come, Magnify the Lord With Me”, “Glory To God”, “If Today You Hear His Voice” (based on Psalm 95), “Have Mercy On Us For We Have Sinned” (based on Psalm 51), “My God, Why Have You Abandoned Me” (based on Psalm 22), “Let The Children Come To Me” (commissioned by RCM and based on Mark 10:13-16), “Through the Eyes of God”, “ The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor” (based on Psalm 34), “Touch Jesus” (based on Matthew 9:21), “I Will Praise Your Name Forever” (based on Psalm 145), “Let All The Nations Praise You” (based on Psalm 67), Take Me To the Water and many others. Some of Mr. Petty’s works were featured in the Liturgy Training Publication’s 2005 edition of Sourcebook: an almanac for parish liturgy. Several of his published works are also included in the Voices as One: Contemporary Hymnal. Cliff’s newest works will be released in the new GIA hymnal, “Lead Me Guide Me” Vol.2. Mr. Petty’s solo debut CD entitled “In Spirit and Truth” was released in March of 2006. This CD won Mr. Petty the nomination for new male vocalist of the year during the “2006 Unity Awards” presented by the United Catholic Music & Video Association. Cliff’s CD was also highlighted in the 2006 fall issue of Grape Vine Magazine and 2008 spring issue of the Sinfonia Resonance. Petty’s sophomore CD project, “Touch Jesus” was released in March of 2009. Cliff wrote and produced “I Can Not Tell It All” CD recorded by the United Voices of Resurrection Choir. He has also recorded with the Alabama State University Choir, Alabama State COGIC Mass Choir; and recording artist: Barbara Frost, John Angotti, Thomas Jefferson, Kenneth Louis, Richard Cheri and Jalonda Robertson. More recently, Mr. Petty was commissioned to write the theme song for the 2008 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress which is the largest annual gathering of Catholics in the United States with roughly 45,000 people attending. Petty was the first African- American to receive this honor. Finally, Cliff was featured in Moca Magazine’s April 2008 edition, 25 “Brightest Brothers” issue.