Sound of the Heartland Sweet Adelines Chorus

LaDonna Cheatham, Co-Director

LaDonna has been directing the Sound of the Heartland Chorus (formerly Valley Center) since Sept. 1994 and recently began co-directing the Oklahoma Jubilee chorus in Tulsa, OK.  She came to our chorus with experience as director of the McPherson Chorus, as a member of the music staff of the Wichita Chorus and as a member of the Sweet Adelines International Region 7 Music Education Staff.  LaDonna earned the level of and was recognized by SAI as a Certified Director in 1997.  She earned the final step to becoming a Master Director when she led the chorus to a 600+ score at Region 7 competition in April 2007.

LaDonna has competed in several quartets at the Regional level, singing bari, bass and lead.  Her highest accomplishment so far in a quartet has been 5^th place in the 2006 International Quartet Competition in Las Vegas.

Her musical knowledge and experience expands beyond the world of Sweet Adelines.  She has served as Director of Worship at her church, has directed a men’s barbershop chorus, coaches choruses and quartets, and teaches and takes private vocal instruction.  She has also sung in and arranged music for a gospel quartet.

LaDonna is married to Tony Cheatham who is a piano technician/restorer.  They have lived in McPherson since 1977, have two grown sons, Jeremy and Timothy, daughters-in-law, Ericka and Jenny, three foster children, and grandchildren Paige, Tanner, Simon and Olivia.

Karen Martin, Co-Director

Karen Martin lives in Dewey OK and has a lifetime of musical experience. She sings Tenor in the Dewey United Methodist church choir and has sung in various community choirs and choruses over the years. She joined Sweet Adelines in 1983 and Oklahoma Jubilee in 1986.  Her first experience with Sweet Adelines came in high school when she sang in a barbershop quartet.  She has since sung in quartets and small groups, too many to count.

“K-Mart” as we lovingly call her, got her nickname one day when an International chorus-coach was having trouble remembering names of the SEVERAL ‘Karens’ on the risers, so Karen Martin became “K-Mart” forever.

Karen is a “home-grown” director.  She started her musical leadership in Oklahoma Jubilee as assistant bass section leader and  was principal bass section leader for over 15 years. She was also an associate director, then an assistant director before becoming the director of OJ.  Her enthusiasm is infectious and a driving force in both OJ and Sound of the Heartland choruses and her musical knowledge and excitement is evident to all who observe her.

Music Team and Boards

ADMINISTRATIVE Mary Koehn, SOTH President Yvonne Garbey, OJ President             Cathy Anderson, Director’s Assistant Karen Phillips, Director’s Assistant Nancy Brennan, SOTH Treasurer Rose Lambert, OJ Treasurer   2008 International Dream Team Mary Jane Waltner Anita Fangmeier Karen Phillips Cathy Anderson Karen Martin LaDonna Cheatham

Visual Team Suzanne Cunningham, Visual Co-Chair Linda Schroeder, Visual Co-Chair Jo Ann Lemley, Choreo Team Molly Clark, Choreo Team Deb Ary, Choreo Team Robbie Dockery, Costume Team Dava Ray, Costume Team Diana Cain, Make-up Team Dava Ray, Make-up Team   Music Team Sue Moore, Music Education Coordinator Deb Ary, Tenor Section Leader Scotty Frakes, Tenor Section Director Anita Fangmeier, Asst. Tenor Section Director Peggy Wagner, Lead Section Leader Diana Cain, Lead Section Director Karen Phillips, Asst. Lead Section Director Nancy Brennan, Baritone Section Leader Martha Baker, Baritone Section Director Kandia Anderson, Asst. Baritone Section Director Linda Schroeder, Bass Section Leader Barbara Moore, Bass Section Director Mavis King, Asst. Bass Section Director

The Sound of the Heartland Chorus of Sweet Adelines International is an affiliation of women of all ages who sing to promote and share our love of four-part barbershop harmony with the communities around us, to develop friendships in an atmosphere of respect, to gain personal growth and provide education through performance and competition, and to strive and be recognized for musical excellence.