Jeffrey LaValley

Jeffrey LaValley, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and born in 1953 to Elder Allison and Mother Artie LaValley, Jeffrey began his musical career on a piano purchased for his older sister at the age of five. Jeffrey studied journalism at Pennsylvania State University in Monaca, Pennsylvania, and at Marquette University in Milwaukee. In 1986, Jeffrey began his formal musical studies, and enrolled in the music studies program at Mott Community College in Flint, where he achieved Dean’s List Status for 2 years, carrying a 4.0 average.

His greatest accomplishments however, have been in the field of gospel music. As a writer, musician, director, and/or producer, Jeffrey has appeared on over 250 projects including the New Jerusalem Baptist Church Choir, Wilmington-Chester Mass Choir, Florida Mass Choir, Charles Fold & The Charles Fold Singers, Myrna Summers, Rev. Donald Vails, Rev. James Cleveland, The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship Mass Choir [which he produced, and was nominated for 1996 Stellar, Soul Train and Grammy Awards], Lou Rawls, and many others. Jeffrey coordinated the choral background vocals for the Palace of Auburn Hills concert performance of pop star George Michael, and appeared with Aretha Franklin in concert in Flint and at the Joe Dumars Retirement Celebration at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

In 1989, he was awarded the G.M.W.A. Excellence Award for Song of the Year—Contemporary, “No Greater Love”. He was also featured as one of the top producers of 1994 in the Gospel Music Industry Roundup, the 1996 edition of the Gospel Music Industry Roundup, and was featured in the 1997 and 1998 editions of the Gospel Music Industry Roundup, as one of the most sought-after producers in Gospel music. His composition, “Revelation 19:1”, was chosen as the entrant for the Papal Celebration at the Vatican in June, 2006. In December, 2008, Jeffrey was fêted as a legend in the Flint Gospel Community.

For over 40 years, Jeffrey has been musician/director and currently serves as the minister of music at the New Jerusalem Full Gospel Baptist Church in Flint. He also served as the International General Overseer Music for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Presiding Bishop for nine years. On July 18, 2004, Jeffrey was ordained as an Elder by Bishop Odis A. Floyd.
Flint Mayor Dane Walling recognized January 28, 2013, and July 27, 2013 as “Elder A. Jeffrey LaValley Day” in the city of Flint. Sunday, June 29, 2014, Jeffrey received the first Gospel Music Workshop of America-Flint Chapter “Richard A. Battle Lifetime Achievement Award”.

In September of 2016, Jeffrey released his third solo project, “Hymns—The Limited Edition”, featuring seventeen of his favorite hymns rendered on Hammond B-3. Organ.

In 2019, Jeffrey’s composition, Revelation 19:1, experienced an upsurge in popularity due to its inclusion on the set list of Kanye West’s Sunday Services. It was also sampled and included in the song, “Selah”, recorded by Kanye West on his project, “Jesus Is King”, which was certified gold on June 16, 2020. On Christmas Day, 2019, the song was re-released in its entirety as a part of the Kanye West project “Jesus is Born” by the Sunday Service Performance Choir.

Jeffery LaValley