Michael Rivers: Musical Director, Ex-Officio Member
Member Bios
Mikah Autrey
2nd Tenor
Born and raised here on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula, Mikah Autrey spent his early years outdoors. Predominately working on his Grandparents small organic farm in Port Angeles, he developed a love for gardening. Upon finishing “home schooling” he received his General Education Diploma from Peninsula College and has been working for a local landscaping company for several years. He currently attends church at Sequim Calvary Chapel.
Although Mikah was born into a very musical family, he only recently began to pursue his passion for song. Desiring more experience and knowledge is one of the reasons he joined PMGS. However, the value he finds in being a part of this God focused community is immeasurable.
“It is a great privilege to be a part of PMGS. To sing our praises to the Lord and spread the Good News.”
Gregory Bondy
Bass
When the men’s group of gospel singers got its start at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Port Angeles, Greg Bondy became a Charter Member of the group.
Greg is a self-employed general contractor, a thirty-two year Port Angeles resident, and a father of two daughters.
Greg has shifted careers seven times in order to remain in this area of clean water and fresh air. He loves the outdoors, motorsports and water sports in all temperatures and salinities. He thanks God for public lands and open spaces.
Claiming no previous singing experience prior to PMGS, Greg enjoys the male camaraderie, fellowship and harmonies of the group.
Craig Buhler
Baritone
For the past 20 years, Craig Buhler has been a full-time instructor in clarinet, saxophone, flute, ear training, and improvisation. The comprehensive Second Edition of his revolutionary New Ears Resolution is helping musicians worldwide learn to improvise.
For 8 years, Craig was director of the 17-piece Stardust Dance Band in which he played first tenor sax. He is music director at Road Scholar’s Hidden Valley Big Band Workshop, Carmel, CA, former director of the two big bands at Camp Heebie Jeebies, one of the big band directors at Northwest Big Band Workshop, and founding director of the Dungeness Christian Music Workshop.
Craig is a charter member of the rock band HONK, whose yearly reunion concerts are still a priority for California audiences raised on HONK’s 5 albums (including the successful soundtrack to “Five Summer Stories”), and their numerous appearances with The Beach Boys, Loggins & Messina, Chicago, Dave Mason, Jackson Browne, etc.
Among his nine CD’s are six jazz combo collections and three original contemporary worship albums.
He is worship leader at Sequim Bible Church.
Steve Cambell
Baritone
Steve Campbell is in his 2nd year with PMGS. He grew up in Portland, Oregon. Other than duets in the kitchen with his mother and occasionally serenading the neighbor lady, he has had no vocal background until recently. His activities, as a member of Independent Bible Church, include the Elder Board, singing in the choir, and membership in the Kingsmen quartet.
A graduate of Portland State University, he worked for U.S. Customs for over thirty years, retiring in 2003. He now keeps busy with church activities, part time jobs, golf, and bowling. He and his wife have been married for 33 years. They have 4 children, 10 grand children, and one great-grandchild.
Karen Coles
Sign Language Interpreter
Karen received a B.A. in Education of the Deaf from Northern Illinois University and a Master’s Degree in Education of the Deaf from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. She taught deaf children in Illinois before accepting a position as Supervisor of Deaf Education at California State University, Fresno, where she headed a program that trained teachers of deaf and hard of hearing children. She moved to Port Angeles with her husband and this is her third year as our PMGS Sign Language Interpreter. She serves as a volunteer for an organization called Children of the Nations, she attends Independent Bible Church in Port Angeles, and she enjoys the challenge of making our music accessible to the deaf residents of our area.
Wayne Dillingham
Bass
Wayne Dillingham born in Grayson Oklahoma, and grew up in Tacoma and Olympia WA. He moved to Port Angeles July 1980. After 2 years in the Army and serving in Viet Nam, he attended Tacoma Community College and St. Martin’s College Majoring in Accounting. He played basketball at TCC and SMC, and sang in the SMC choir.
He sang in mixed chorus and boys’ choir during junior high and high school, and also St. John Baptist Church choir
Wayne retired from the Washington State Government: DOR, ESD, L&II after 35 years. He has one son and two step children and is now widowed.
He has attended Lighthouse Christian Center and Independent Bible Church for 23 yrs., singing in both choirs as well as special music for the Christian Women’s Association.
His hobbies include basketball, softball, cycling, chess, fishing, and traveling.
Steve Frick
1st Tenor
Steve was born in Spokane, Washington. In 1968, his family moved to Port Angeles. Steve and his wife of 33 years have two children and 7 grandchildren. He enjoys sail boat racing, wood working and gardening.
He started singing in church choirs during grade school, continuing his singing in school choirs through high school. Steve has performed in light opera theater, barbershop, and a community singing group. Steve is a machinist/welder and co-owner of a machine/welding shop in Port Angeles.
Steve has been looking for this opportunity to sing with a Christian choral group and is thankful to have joined the Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers.
He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church.
Penny Hall
Pianist
This is Penny’s third season with PMGS after having enjoyed many years as their substitute pianist. She is ever so grateful to her husband of 37 years, for being willing to do without her during their rehearsals and performances.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona. When not pouring the joy of music into her piano students, she accompanies soloists, ensembles, choirs, and churches in the Port Angeles/Sequim area. Besides playing for those confined to prison, Alzheimer’s units, assisted living, and nursing homes, she enjoys indulging her inner drama queen through musical theater.
Penny greatly appreciates PMGS’ commitment to deliberate excellence in song which highlights the presentation of a clear gospel message. The Spirit-intensified power coursing through the voices of these men produces a formidable presentation of genuine hope in quality music. During these last three years, it has been an honor for her to participate with them in battering down spiritual barriers and representing Christ to their community.
Jim Lidback
2nd Tenor
Jim and his family moved to Port Angeles in the summer of 1996 when he was stationed here as an active duty Coast Guard aviator. Jim retired from the Coast Guard here in Port Angeles, and he and his wife Renee couldn’t think of a better place raise their children and settled down west of Port Angeles. He currently works for P.U.D. of Clallam County. Jim has been involved with stage productions with the Ballet Workshop and community theater for years. He enjoys painting, mural painting, chainsaw carving, and music in general. He began taking voice lessons with Michael Rivers in 2016 and joined Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers in 2018.
Mike McBride
Baritone
Trombone lessons in the fourth grade were the beginning of Mike McBride’s enjoyment and participation with music. Throughout his life and career he has enjoyed music and been involved with bands, symphonies, and choral groups. This involvement has included performing for churches and community events and performing with such local groups as the PALOA Singers, Mix ‘N Match and the Stardust Big Band.
Mike is a licensed psychologist with board certification in medical psychology and psychopharmacology. He also has a background in pastoral ministry.
In addition to his private practice he has taught as an adjunct professor for Western Washington University and Fuller Theological Seminary.
As a new member Mike looks forward to a gospel music outreach and ministry on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Jake McGovern
Bass
A native to Port Angeles, Jake attended Queen of Angels School and is now completing high school through Kolbe Academy On-line Catholic High School. He discovered his deep bass voice and full beard in the 9th grade! In 10th grade he sang in the local high school men’s choir and took private voice lessons with Mr. Rivers. He is honored to be a recipient of the PMGS scholarship for 2018-’19 and feels blessed to learn from and be a part of this faith-filled group of talented men.
At age 16, Jake has yet to discover God’s full plan for his life, but he enjoys sharing God’s word as a lector in the Holy Mass, being an altar server and learning Latin. In addition to singing, he enjoys writing, drawing, Hapkido, and rowing with his teammates locally and in regional competitions.
David Meyer
Bass
Singing was just part of growing up in a large Lutheran family in Wisconsin. Dave Meyer remembers singing hymns around the piano with his siblings. In high school and college, Dave sang in choruses, stage musicals, and madrigal singers. In college, Dave traveled & performed with a folk singing trio.
Dave’s 40-year business career was in the computer industry, including 10 years with IBM and 20 years as the Information Technology Director at Clallam County.
Dave performed in five Port Angeles Light Opera Association, PALOA, musicals. He played the role of Captain von Trapp opposite his wife who played the Baroness Schraeder, in The Sound of Music. The Peninsula Chamber Singers were Dave’s singing home for the last 14 years.
He has no formal music training. Dave and his wife are members of Independent Bible Church where he sings in the church choir, a mixed SATB octet, and The Kingsmen, a male quartet.
Emil Moilanen
Bass
Having grown up near Seattle, Emil Moilanen arrived on the Olympic Peninsula to begin his teaching career in the fall of 1970. He felt so welcomed by the community of Joyce that he bought property near Whiskey Creek Beach.
Emil and kids waiting for dinner
Trusting his mother’s advice to take boys glee club in junior high school led to a life long enjoyment of singing which include church choirs, community choruses and quartets.
In June 2005, Emil retired after 35 years of teaching math and science at Crescent High School. He is active in Crescent Grange of Joyce and the First United Methodist Church of Port Angeles, where he is a co-layleader.
In addition to singing, Emil enjoys gardening, camping, sailing, walking, traveling and managing a 40-acre forest with his wife and family.
Mike Perry
Baritone
Mike Perry grew up on a farm in Twin Falls, Idaho, and after college he and his wife ended up in Port Angeles in 1973. Neither had heard of Port Angeles before, so they decided that God brought them here. Now they know that is true.
Mike receiving instructions
Married 41 years, the Perry’s have 3 children and four grand children. Seems like all have grown up so fast. Mike enjoys horseback riding, motorcycle riding, and singing. He sang with the Port Angeles Community Chorus for many years, and now sings in the 8:30 am choir at Queen of Angels Catholic church. This is his 12th year in Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers, having come into the group in its 2nd year. PMGS music and singers are a gift to Mike’s life.
David Reynolds
Baritone
David Reynolds moved to Port Angeles in 1981, where he joined Independent Bible Church and has been an active member ever since. David spent the majority of his working life in the restaurant business as a chef and owner/operator with his wife Laura. In 2011, they sold their restaurant and David took on new career building custom furniture and doing furniture repairs and restoration.
Since moving to Port Angeles, he has sung in church choirs, ensembles and small groups. As a new member of PMGS, it has been both challenging and rewarding singing with this group of men.
Michael Rivers
Director
Michael Rivers is the founding director of PMGS, currently in its thirteenth season. He is a husband, father, musician, contractor and a decent cook who loves to watch people gathering around good food. He has been to Mexico to build houses with his youth group, has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, and actively directs the Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers in his hometown of Port Angeles, Washington.
As founding director of PMGS, Michael remembers when the group was nothing more than a few singers regularly gathering around a piano to sing spirituals after the evening service at Holy Trinity. But with time, the Lord’s blessing and countless gifts given by singers, their wives and the community at large, PMGS has grown into a ministry that blesses listeners across the Olympic Peninsula.
Michael Rivers directing the Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers
As a performing musician, Michael has three solo recordings, six Gospel Choir CDs and countless concerts, gigs and church services on his resume.
Michael Plays one of His New Compositions
Married for 28 years, Michael and his wife currently reside in Port Angeles, WA where they are still raising the younger two of their four children. Michael leads worship at a local church, directs the Gospel Choir, teaches voice, performs solo concerts and occasionally completes a residential carpentry project.
Gordon Shipps
2nd Tenor
Gordon Shipps grew up in NJ in a very musical family. He and his wife have 6 children and 13 grandchildren. Gordon retired after 20 years as a Family Services Representative in the funeral and cemetery business. Prior to that, he spent 19 years in ministry with two ministries: Campus Crusade for Christ and Churches Alive International.
Charlie & Gordon Relaxing at Retreat 2007
Hobbies include singing, making crafts with his wife, recycling antiques, and many “home-owner” projects.
The Prez takes a moment off
Gordon joined PMGS because he enjoys singing and is excited to have this opportunity of praising the Lord while bringing a significant message and blessing to others. Gordon is the President of PMGS.
Charles W Smith III
2nd Tenor
Charles W. Smith III and family moved to Sequim in 2010. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara in 1995 with a B.S. degree in Biology, Charles attained his real estate license to pay off student loans – it turned out that real estate was his niche, and he embarked on a lifelong career as a Top Producing Realtor!
This is his second year singing with the PMGS and he greatly enjoys the fellowship and honor of sharing the gospel with his voice as a 2nd Tenor.
Some of his interests include photography and video editing, paragliding (similar to hang-gliding), motorcycling, sailing, dancing, playing racquetball, shooting pool, inventing, teaching Sunday School at Thrive, volunteering on the Sequim School District Community Truancy Board, driving as a substitute school bus driver for the Sequim School District, and his new favorite, SINGING for His Glory in the PMGS.