By Staff
Jason Cannon
PHIL CAMPBELL – In the school halls, she's known as the Singing School Teacher, but now Patricia Gentry is something a little more: An award winning singing school teacher.
Last weekend Gentry was awarded The Golden Harp 2007, Female Horizon of the Year Award. She beat out eight other nominees.
"When they called my name, I just didn't believe it," she said. "I started crying in my thank you speech."
Her award is just part of the good news she shares with her husband, Don.
Her latest single, "I Hope You See Him in Me" – a song written by her husband, charted at No. 63 in October's edition of Christian Voice. It will leap 45 spots to No. 18 in the November issue, which was sent to press last week.
"It's amazing," she said.
What's truly amazing it that Don penned the song in less than a day.
"Patricia told me, 'Why don't you write a song for me to sing,'" he recalled. "We played around at it, and it was written in about 10 minutes."
The song is also the title of Patricia's fifth CD, which was garnered the most crucial acclaim to date for the Phil Campbell native who years ago was awarded a music scholarship to Northwest Shoals.
"When I got that scholarship, I promised God that I would always sing for Him," she said.
Patricia went on to major in Elementary Education and currently works at Phil Campbell School. And while Patricia said she loves her students and her job, she readily admits, "you never know what is going to happen next."
"I would love to sing full-time and see people get saved," she said. "I want to see people's lives changed. It's not about me. It's all about doing it for Him."
Copies of "I Hope You See Him in Me" can be purchased by calling Don Gentry at 205-993-4911 or 412-8134.