Former youth choir members of First Baptist Church of Natchez will hold a reunion for an &uot;influential&uot; minister of music this weekend. M.C. &uot;Major&uot; McDaniel Jr., who served at the church from 1959-1973, will direct a choir of his former students during the Sunday morning worship service.

Carole Foster said when people talk about what McDaniel has meant to their lives words such as &uot;influential&uot; and &uot;impact&uot; always come to mind. &uot;He was just a very big example to all of us,&uot;&160;she said. &uot;Not only did he train us musically but certainly guided us spiritually.&uot;

McDaniel, who later served on the mission field in Korea, filled numerous roles at First Baptist Church of Natchez including working with the youth and adult choirs and teaching free music lessons.

Even after so many years, McDaniel’s choir members can still recall countless stories about him.

Fran Geiger Nolan met McDaniel in 1962 after the death of her brother. &uot;Major started giving me voice lessons and really built (up) my self-esteem,&uot; she said. &uot;I still do solo work now.&uot;

McDaniel spent hours with his youth choir, often inviting them into his home and taking them on summer choir trips, the choir members said.

&uot;It just gave us all a good basis,&uot; choir member Paul Allen said.

Many of the members of the youth choir are still involved in church music and several having gone into the ministry, the group said.

&uot;The highlight of the week was going to youth choir practice and singing on Sunday night,&uot; choir member Martha Rice said.

At least 60 former choir members, some from out of town, will be attending the reunion.

The members have been planning the reunion for several years, and they think it is a fitting tribute to a man who has meant so much to them.

The public is invited to attend this weekend’s service at 11 a.m. and see McDaniel and his wife June McDaniel.