The College of Arts and Sciences and UAB community are heartbroken that our beloved Department of Music Professor and the Founding Director of the UAB Gospel Choir Kevin P. Turner died on Monday, March 1, 2021, after an extended illness.
During his extraordinary life and career, Turner was an accomplished songwriter, organist, pianist, gospel singer, choir director, minister of music and educator. He directed the UAB Gospel Choir for more than 22 years and established it as one of the first in the country to be offered and sanctioned by college music departments within the music program for college credit. Turner also taught courses for UAB’s African American Studies Program and served as senior pastor at Holy Harvest Ministries.
Turner was also a suffragan bishop in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World denomination, and graduated summa cum laude from Andersonville Theological Seminary. For his outstanding contributions to church music and worship, he was awarded an honoris causa Doctorate in Divinity degree from St. Thomas Christian University. He worked for the American Red Cross for seven years, was a loaned executive for United Way of Central Alabama annual fundraising campaigns, participated in the music ministries at the historic 16th Street Baptist Church, the Alabama District Council of Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Sixth Avenue Baptist Church and Faith Apostolic Church.
“Kevin's life and his work was sharing his love of music and his love of God with young people, and with all who had ears to hear, and we are grateful for the legacy he built in the UAB Department of Music and the wider university,” said Department of Music Chair Patrick Evans, D.M.
During his time with UAB’s Department of Music, Turner reached thousands of students and brought significant attention and acclaim to the UAB Gospel Choir. Through Turner’s passionate efforts, the UAB Gospel Choir performed countless concerts and produced and recorded albums that were featured both on the radio and in music stores. As a result, the UAB Gospel Choir reached audiences across the globe.
Turner helped develop a powerhouse strategy of turning out above-average student talent and presenting sold-out concerts. Under Turner’s direction the UAB Gospel Choir performed live from campus to 5 million viewers on NBC’s The Today Show; created songs that reached No. 1 on amazon.com and XM Satellite radio; and proudly represented UAB locally, nationally and with self-funded international tours. During UAB's 40th anniversary, the UAB Gospel Choir was included as one of 40 UAB breakthroughs. Turner retired in 2017.
“UAB, the City of Birmingham, the State of Alabama, this country and the world will forever be blessed by the legacy left by Kevin P. Turner,” said University Professor of Music Henry Panion III, Ph.D.
Our hearts are with Turner’s family and loved ones.
The UAB Department of Music encourages people to celebrate Turner’s life and work by listening to a collection of recordings titled “Legacy.” The recordings can be found here.
Also, WVTM 13 produced a wonderful tribute video about Turner. The piece features performances from Turner and the UAB Gospel Choir, as well as a heartfelt reflection from a former student and choir member Steven Wilson.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests any memorial gifts be made to the Kevin Turner Gospel Choir Scholarship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Gifts can be mailed to UAB Gift Records, AB 1230, 1720 2nd Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35294-0112, call 205-934-7242 or online at go.uab.edu/KevinTurnerGospelChoir.
