Four years after production began, the combined voices of Rockaway/Broad Channel’s New Life Choir are ringing out from their new collection, “Chart-Topping Songs of Faith,” now available as a free download at www.thenewlifechoir.org, under the “Our Recordings” tab. Their first album, available for free download, “Faithful Songs of Praise,” is also on the site.
The New Life Choir began performing at Broad Channel’s St. Virgilius Church services 11 years ago, and adding their voices to local events and occasions, which, both in joy and sorrow, bring community together.
“Songs of Chart-Topping Faith” in many ways is a tribute to their late co-founder/musical director, Doris Dady, and a completion of a dream she started four years ago. The finished recording was finally accomplished through the choir’s dedication and collective spirit, the inventive use of technology, collaboration, and the musical and production skills of Dady’s brother, Chris Staudt.
“Songs of Chart-Topping Faith” contains a spirited mix of 14 songs which many will recognize, as well as a few surprises. Some, like Cat Steven’s “Morning Has Broken,” with its early 20th-century hymn-based tune, Norman Greenbaum’s hit “Spirit In The Sky,” or Kris Kristofferson’s plaintive, “Why Me Lord?” would seem to be naturals for a spiritual music-based group’s recording.
Others like Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend,” the Youngblood’s “Get Together” or Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” might be less expected. Yet all, including the rousing gospel rendition of “Go Make A Difference” and “That I Might Live,” penned by Staudt himself, all fit perfectly together within the album’s musical space. Likewise while some arrangements are familiar, others will take on a new sound with Staudt’s arrangement, mixing and creative instrumentation.
All tracks are infused with the talented voices of all members of the choir, split into sonic parts which were arranged by Dady herself.
The “Songs of Chart-Topping Faith” liner notes the contribution of 14 vocalists. The list includes Margaret Wagner, Maureen Harkins, Theresa Trainor, Doris Dady, Chris Franklin, Donna Badamo, Lee Gilmartin, Sister Lilia, current musical director Anna Wiley, Samar (Sammie) Awad, Christine Carricato, Carol Corbett, Dan Guarino and Chris Staudt.
Co-founder/choir coordinator Margaret Wagner recalls the New Life Choir “was started in 2015 by myself and Doris Dady. …I would often think about being young, and singing in the St. Virgilius Choir at (Christmas) midnight Mass. I made a post on Facebook inquiring if anyone knew of any local choirs in the area.”
Dady then contacted her with her own idea. What if they formed their own choir at St. Virgilius? “I thought it was a great idea,” Wagner said. “We went to Father Alhemeyer, and he loved the idea of bringing a choir back to (the church.)”
The newly formed group was soon gathering members from Broad Channel and Rockaway.
By 2017, the choir had recorded their first album, with Dady overseeing recording of each individual member, and Staudt, living in Virginia, producing/mixing those recordings and creating all the instrument sounds.
Making their second album became a story in perseverance itself. On June 14, 2022, a message went out, “Choir practice tonight at Doris’ house 7 p.m. We are starting to record for our second CD.”
Dady had set up for professional recording in her Broad Channel basement. She, Staudt and organist, Dianne James, also created the choir’s website. There members would find their different carefully worked out parts and harmonies, and guide vocals recorded by Dady herself, to practice with.
“We would put on our headphones, hear our part and sing out loud while Doris would record us,” Wagner recalled.
Production slowed when tidal flooding invaded Dady’s basement recording space. Unfortunately, sometime later, Dady was diagnosed with a progressive illness. She died in May 2025.
“After Doris passed, I never thought we would finish the second CD. We had a tremendous amount of recording to do and who knew how to work this computer stuff and record us,” Wagner said.
“In the beginning, Doris was the recording engineer,” Staudt added “And she was very careful about getting clean takes…on a dedicated computer.”
Later on, “I suggested the singers use their phones….” From there, Wagner enlisted the help of choir member Donna Badamo. Then, over several months, up in the St. Virgilius choir loft “She recorded the voices with her phone, while I provided the headphones (so each singer could hear the) musical background with my phone from all the parts that Chris and Doris put on our website. Donna would then send the parts to Chris who had the hardest part of everyone, putting all the voices, and music together,” Wagner said.
“Some of the results were a little noisy,” Staudt said, “so I had to compensate as best I could. But they actually cleaned up well and were sonically comparable to a better setup, especially once you get a dozen voices going at the same time.”
Staudt, a multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, choir director, band member, etc., noted, “I was the arranger/producer for the CD. Despite having learned to play many instruments, the CD is entirely digital…that is, all the instrumental sounds” were produced and skillfully tweaked and blended via computer. “Oh, I might have played a real guitar on one song, and Doris is playing guitar on one.
“Hopefully, she wouldn’t mind my sharing this…(but) as the ALS kicked in and she couldn’t sing anymore—her lifelong passion, nor direct the choir, she felt quite lost. I told her, ‘I’m not ready to give up on this CD project.’”
Even if people recorded on their cellphones, Staudt could use that to finish the project. “This got her to dig out her recording equipment and make another push to continue. She later told me ‘You gave me a reason to live.’ That so touches me. So even though she didn’t make it to the end of the process, I’m so glad I could do it on her behalf,” he said.
Wagner added, “Doris used to say to us, ‘Who are we?” We would loudly respond “the Choir!”
And now that Choir and legacy is heard on “Songs of Chart-Topping Faith.”
