First Baptist Church of Tuscumbia, Alabama
E-mail Dr. JerryDr. Olson has been serving as the Minister of Worship and Administration at First Baptist Church, Tuscumbia since June, 2005. A native of Augusta, Georgia, he came to the Shoals area in 1999 and served as the Director of Choral Activities at the University of North Alabama until 2003. Previously, he was the Visiting Director of Choral Activities at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Georgia. He has served churches as a minister of music, full-time and part-time, in North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
Dr. Olson studied conducting at the University of South Carolina where he earned a DMA degree in choral conducting with Dr. Larry Wyatt. He also has a Master of Church Music degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Music Education with a piano concentration from Samford University.
As well as serving as the Minister of Worship and Administration, Dr. Olson is the Director of the Shoals Chamber Singers, an auditioned adult chamber choir, and the Calvary Fellowship Homeschool Choir. He frequently serves as a choral clinician, adjudicator for local and state-wide choral festivals, and accompanies All-State and Honor choirs. He also is the assistant accompanist for the Alabama Singing Men, and collaborates with Karen Cantrell in the performance of duo piano concerts. He is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the Alabama Vocal Association, the College Music Society, and the Music Teachers National Conference.
Dr. Olson and his wife, Dr. Teresa Olson, have one daughter, Valerie. Valerie attends third grade at Forest Hills Elementary School in Florence.
