Damien Sneed

Augustan’s musical career has led to dream jobs
By Kelly Jasper, Staff Writer for Augusta Chronicle
Friday, May 13, 2011

It’s a misconception to say that big breaks only happen in big cities.

Damien Sneed found his in Augusta, where the acclaimed pianist, organist, composer and producer was born and reared.
Sneed, a 1996 graduate of John S. Davidson Fine Arts High School, recently served as the musical director for the hit gospel television show, Sunday Best . The program, filmed in Atlanta in April, airs on the Black Entertainment Television channel starting in July.
It’s the latest stop in a long line of dream jobs, said Sneed, 32, and now living in New York.
He previously worked as a professor of music at the City University of New York and as a staff accompanist at Juilliard School of Music.
This summer, Sneed will perform with trombonist Wycliffe Gordon at the Apollo. He has appeared on stage with jazz great Wynton Marsalis and Augusta’s own opera legend Jessye Norman.
Last year, Sneed was nominated for a Grammy Award for his work on Vickie Winans’ album, How I Got Over .
“All of it,” he said, “I owe to the people in Augusta.”
Sneed grew up in Good Shepherd Baptist Church, which holds an annual gospel music workshop. He’ll return to the area July 22-24 to participate in this year’s event.
“We’ll have all facets of gospel music represented, and Damien will be leading traditional gospel,” said Fitzgerald Ryans, the church’s minister of music. “It means a lot to us to have him here. We remember Damien as a child. He always loved music. Nothing else mattered except God and music to Damien.”
Ryans said he knew Sneed would “always be something great.”
In high school, Sneed wanted to become a doctor. He had been playing piano since age 3 and started lessons at 4, studying under Lydia Porro Milham. But Sneed says he hadn’t considered music as a major until he was a senior at Davidson.
Winning a chance to perform at the Grammy Awards changed his mind.
Sneed was accepted into the All-American High School Choir and worked with Boyz II Men at the 1996 Grammys.
“I decided in March that year I was going to major in music and I graduated in May,” he said.
Sneed enrolled at the Howard University School of Music, studying classical piano. He continued his education at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, New York University and the Manhattan School of Music. Sneed received an honorary doctorate in sacred music from the Christian Bible Institute and Seminary.
Sneed has performed at the White House, Lincoln Center and Ford’s Theater.

“I never dreamed I’d have so many opportunities,” he said. “It’s a lot of hard work but I’m grateful.”

For Sunday Best , a reality show competition to find “the next great gospel star,” Sneed worked from 7:30 a.m. to midnight, or later.

“They were incredibly long days,” Sneed said.

Season four of Sunday Best was recorded in just three weeks, giving Sneed little time to arrange more than 90 songs for the show. He worked in collaboration with contestants, background vocalists, band members and executives, including host Kirk Franklin, judge Donnie McClurkin and gospel duo Mary Mary.

“It was a dream come true to have so many world-class artists in one room,” he said.

With the show completed, Sneed is off to new adventures, conducting music workshops and promoting his new CD.

Introspections Live , featuring Sneed’s gospel, jazz and classical work, was released in January and features a song, Good Shepherd Medley , inspired by the local Baptist church.

“Growing up there, they taught me how to be a trailblazer,” Sneed said.

The church was founded in 1940 by the Rev. Essie Mae McIntyre, one of the country’s first black woman preachers to be recognized by Baptist associations.

She preached at the church for 46 years. The Rev. McIntyre died at age 83, when Sneed was a senior at Davidson.

“They were all about going out and finding what God would uniquely have you do,” Sneed said. “It gave me the confidence that I can go do whatever I want to do.”

Sneed said he was fortunate to have parents who stressed the importance of history. “There were people who had come before me and paved the way for me. Now it’s my turn to pave the way.”