Texas Tradition Chorus Leadership
Texas Tradition Chorus thrives because of the energy and style of the people who have stepped up to lead. Here are a few of the people who make our chorus a success.
Lynda Gouker - Director
Lynda has been around barbershop music all of her life. Her dad had her singing in a quartet before she started school. An experienced director, she has "waved her hands" in front of choruses in Michigan, California, Georgia and Texas. In 2007 Lynda and three friends decided a performance quality women's chorus was needed in the Tarrant/Johnson County area. From these four voices developed the 55+ voice Texas Tradition Chorus. We are very fortunate to have such a truly talented, fun-loving director.
Jessie Simmons - Assistant Director
Jessie has been a member of the Chorus for 2 years. Jessie went to North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and majored in Voice. Jessie is a private voice teacher and has been teaching for over 25 years. She has also been a Choir director for different churches over the last 15 years. She has been a part of countless musicals, plays, and worship teams. She has also used her talents and has judged many national vocal competitions.
Jessie is married to her wonderful husband Dennis and has celebrated 35 years of marriage. Jessie and Dennis have 3 grown sons. Zach, Solomon, and Jordan. They are their pride and joys! She also has 3 cats and a grand pup.
In Jessie’s free time she loved to bake and read books. She also loves to travel and spend time with her friends.
“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friends.” Proverbs 27:17 NKJV.
Carrie Irwin - President
Carrie grew up singing a capella in the Church of Christ her entire life. She sings alto, just like her precious mother used to. She continued to sing with a quartet and a couple of larger groups for several years, loving every minute of harmony! Carrie joined Texas Tradition Chorus in February of 2016. She has been a board member since 2017. She sings baritone and knows and respects the value of every member of her section and those around her. She says that joining TTC was the best decision she’s made in a long time!
Becca Miller - Vice President
Becca is one of the co-founders of Texas Tradition Chorus, and has been singing barbershop for nearly 40 years! Her interests also include playing bass clarinet in the Greater Fort Worth Community Band (also a board member), woodworking (she built her own CNC from scratch), movies (president of the Cowtown Cinema Classics TCM club), and more recently, learning all about pottery. Becca retired from GE Healthcare where she was a software engineer on the National Release Team. Presently serving as Membership Chairman and bass section leader she is always on the lookout for good singers. So if you run into her in the supermarket or at the dentist, don't be surprised if she asks you if you love to sing!
Laurie Hoffman - Secretary
Laurie has always loved to sing, and when she was about 12 she realized how much fun it was to harmonize. A friend of hers and she would sit together in music class and sing either the high soprano or alto harmonies and impress themselves with their gifted talent. In middle and high school she elected Choral singing just because she enjoyed it so much. Singing has stayed a highlight all her life, whether alone in the car, teaching children, or in the church choir. Now that she gets to sing with TTC, she has found a niche with a group of enthusiastic and talented women that love to sing in harmony as she does.
Deborah Jackson - Treasurer
Debby took a somewhat unconventional path to Texas Tradition Chorus. Although she grew up in a very musical family and enjoyed music, she had almost no music experience as a child and never learned to read music. At the age of 40, she was encouraged by friends to join a classic rock band after the drummer heard her "secretly" singing along. She spent 7 years as a singer in a rock n roll band! Debby was looking for more musical fun when she was invited to visit Texas Tradition Chorus in 2011. She was previously chorus treasurer from 2013-2015 and returned for another term in 2020.
