Sisters of the Spirit

Born in the city of the Football Hall of Fame, Canton Ohio, on August 13, 1964, Dearick Milton had no interest in music until late in his childhood.  The eldest of five graduated G.W. Carver High School in Columbus 1982 and continued his education at Ft. Valley State University and the University of Phoenix with majors in Early Childhood Education and Information Technology, respectively.  Dearick confesses that he only acccepted the challenge to learn how to play the piano out of spite and to prove that he could hear and learn those things that his sister and cousin refused to show him on the piano.  He skipped many of his sophomore classes in high school as he spent time in the Music Hall practicing without ceasing in order to prove his point.  Practice would continue after school at New Mount Zion Baptist Church, where he would stay until sunset.  Little did he know that God would have a greater plan in store.  Within six months of sitting down at a piano for the first time, Dearick would accept his firt job as Minister of Music at Greater Peace Baptist Church in Columbus. This accomplishment did not come without the encouragement of his mentor and Church pianist, Ms. Willie Moore, who encouraged him to continue even when the music was unbearable.  Within the following year, Dearick was playing for eight groups and choir simultaneously and had become the city's icon in the Gospel music scene. Dearick's rapid accomplishments opened the opportunity to cohost a television show, entitled "A Song in My Heart", along with the late Evangelist Alma C. Williams.  He co-hosted the show from 1980 to 1982, after which time he left the city to attend college.  In 1982, Dearick presented his first written song, "Worthy to be Praised" to the Thomas A. Dorsey National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses.  The song was accepted and recorded at the Convention during the summer of that year. Dearick has continued to write music and has worked with Gospel greats such as Keith Pringle, Angella Christie, Daryl Coley, Twinkie Clark and Donald Lawrence, to name a few. He is currently the Minster of Music at Bethsaida Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, GA, where he has served for 14 years. Dearick is a singing member of The Chosen Aggregation, recording artists of Atlanta, Georgia. He has had the pleasure of touring nationally and throughout Europe with the group. The group has recorded two CD projects and preparing for their third live recording in January 2009, for which Dearick has written three songs. Dearick continues to write and play music but emphasizes that he takes no credit or glory because his gifts were blessings from the Lord. Dearick says, "I'm just giving them back to God as an expression of my gratitude to Him. I was chosen before I knew myself and called when I didn't want to go. His will is perfect and that's why I do what I do...to stay in His will."  By profession, Dearick is a Data Communications Project Manager supporting such technologies as Voice over IP. Recreationally, he is a website designer, professional model for Upscale Magazine and enjoys tennis and bowling. In his leisure, he enjoys relaxing at home and vacations. Dearick currently resides in Atlanta and is the proud father of three beautiful children, daughter, Linarra, age 22, and sons, Dearick, age 19 and Donavan, age 16.