First things first // person of interest
HIGH NOTES: I’ve produced three gospel CDs: “Fred Rahming” in 2004, “In Spite of Here is My Praise” in 2010 and “My Best Solution,” releasing this fall. SMASH HIT: My most popular song is “I Need a Word,” which has aired in both the United States and Britain. I’ve performed this song at Atlanta Live. A FAMILY AFFAIR: My baby girl, Jamilya, sings with me at our church, Citadel of Hope in Leesburg. We recently performed a duet there. She is a 21-year-old student at the University of South Florida. BEHIND THE LENS: When Jamilya graduated high school, I took graduation pictures and posted them on Facebook. Everyone loved them and started asking me to take pictures of them. That’s how FR Photography started. GIVING BACK: I was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2011. As a result, one thing I do is provide free photographs and prints to breast cancer patients to help give them their smile back. I don’t do photography to earn a living; I do it to earn a smile. GUILTY PLEASURE: Riding my Harley Davidson without a helmet. There’s something about the wind blowing around my head that makes me feel good.
Food Services Director+gospel singer
VITAL STATS AGE: 43 RESIDES: Grand Island FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Fred is food services director of The Villages Rehab and Nursing Center SPREAD THE WORD: A gospel singer, Fred has written and produced three CDs CLOSE TO HOME: Fred is a lifelong Lake County resident and 1989 graduate of Eustis High
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PASSION FOR MUSIC: I started singing and playing drums at age 9. By the time I turned 20, I was singing gospel music at public venues. I was in two gospel groups, “The Brothers of Faith” and “In Faith.” I traveled throughout the southeastern United States and enjoyed that because gospel music encourages, motivates and uplifts people.
MUSIC YOU’D WANT ON A DESERTED ISLAND: Fred Hammond, a popular gospel singer. He has been my favorite artist for a long time, and his inspirational music would help me cope with being on a deserted island. DESIRED TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTION: “For God I lived; For God I died.” PET PEEVE: Cold food that’s supposed to be hot.
PHOTO: FRED LOPEZ
FREDRAHMING
FAVORITE BOOK: “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey. This book helped me understand what qualities you need to be an effective and successful leader.
