Rings to
Inspire the artistic development of a
Noteworthy ensemble, which promotes the
Growth and appreciation of handbell ringing by
Serving a variety of audiences.

Phyllis Kirk - Phyllis is a well-known handbell conductor. She has conducted Handbell Festivals in 38 states, in 9 of the 12 Areas of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, National Handbell Festivals in Iowa and California, 2 Handbell Festivals in Canada, and was sent to represent the American Guild as conductor at the International Handbell Symposium in Australia. She served 2 terms on the National Board of the AGEHR. She loves handbells, and specializes in producing a variety of sounds made by different techniques of handbell ringing. Her ultimate goal is always to produce beautiful music, whether a robust Toccata or a smooth, exquisite Pavanne.

Phyllis also directs the Newcomer Singers and is Minister of Music at Grace Christian Church (DOC) in Helena, AL.

Anne Graves - Anne began ringing bells at her church, Shades Crest Baptist in Bluff Park, where she continues to ring with the Jubilation Ringers. She also directs the Allegro Ringers at Shades Crest. Anne plays flute in the orchestra and sings in the choir at Shades Crest. Anne also enjoys playing the celtic harp and is a member of the International Society of Folkharpers and Craftsmen. Anne graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Business from Samford University in Birmingham and is president and owner of SECO Performance Centers. Anne is married to Stan, has two grown children, Leah and Matt, and is the proud grandmother of Anna Marie and Amelia.

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Becky Stough - Becky has always loved music. She sings and plays cello, electric bass, string bass, percussion and handbells. She started playing bells in 1998 when she moved to Birmingham and now can't imagine her life without them! She can play 4 in hand (when the need arises) and is currently playing F2-E3 (not 4 in hand). Becky was a part of the organizing team and also the first and current president of Embellishments. She has participated in many regional festivals and the 2000 International Handbell Symposium in Birmingham, England, the 2004 Symposium in Toronto, Canada and 2006 Symposium in Brisbane, Australia. In her spare time, she enjoys her work as a Licensed Massage Therapist (Line forms at the right!), Administrator for the Gadsden Community School for the Arts at the Cultural Arts Center in Gadsden, AL and spending time with her family.

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Donna Williamson - Donna has been playing handbells for 15 years and with Embellishments for 4 years. She started playing bells with her church handbell choir and never Stopped! She also plays the piano and flute. She is a pharmacist and works for Davis Drugs in Columbiana.

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Elizabeth Judd - Elizabeth was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario and was graduated from The University of Toronto where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Physical and Health Education. She played in many local, provincial and state badminton tournaments as well as the Canadian and American Open Championships. After moving to Birmingham and raising a family she was asked to join the handbell choir at her church. She has been playing bells ever since. As a member of the former Covenant Ringers, she played in many Bell Festivals in the USA as well as Japan, England and Canada. She is an original member of the Embellishments.

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Holley Dykes - Holley’s passion for handbells began at the age of 11, when her choir director at Woodlawn United Methodist Church (Francis Killingsworth) organized a youth handbell choir. Holley is a charter member of Embellishments, where she enjoys the challenge of level six music.She has participated in many handbell festivals and attended the 2004 International Handbell Symposium in Toronto. As a member of Christ Church United Methodist she plays in the handbell choir; directs the Cherub Choir; Directs handbells for children at music camp; and sings alto in the church choir. Her love of music extends to piano and flute, which includes ten years of piano with Mrs. Romaine Smith and four years of flute with Mrs. Gerald Smith. At Woodlawn High School she plaed in the symphonic and marching bands; sang in the choir and girl's ensemble; and was the accompanist for the mixed ensemble. Holley graduated from Auburn University, where she earned a bachelor of science degree in Special Education. She is a substitute teacher for the Shelby County Board of Education. Holley is a single mom of three grown children: Corporal Clayton Dykes, an Eagle Scout, is a Marine in the Recon Division stationed somewhere in Iraq on his second tour of duty; Marie is a senior at Mississippi State University majoring in International Business and French; Andrew, an Eagle Scout is a senior at Oak Mountain High School, has art work on exhibit in different museums throughout the United States, and plans to use his art talents and become a plastic surgeon. In her spare time Holley's interests include mission work, international traveling (especially Italy),camping, hiking, canoeing ,dancing (just learning), and working with special needs children.

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Jennifer Faulkner - Jennifer started singing when she was two and has not stopped since. Handbells came into her life at the age of 11 when she joined the children's choir at Canturbury UMC with Phyllis' sister, Betty Berg. She earned a Bachelor of Music at DePauw University in vocal performance and has made her way back to Birmingham. Currently, she teaches voice and piano lessons and directs the handbell choir at Bluff Park UMC.

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Jim Kimble - Jim is an ophthalmologist specializing in retinal blood vessel diseases. He learned to read music and play a little piano from his mother at an early age, played brass in junior high through college, then sold his French horn to pay for his wife's wedding ring. He has been playing handbells in his church choir since 1980, and teaching third graders to ring for the past year. Embellishments "hooked" him the first time he heard the ensemble play, in December 2004.

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Kyle Henderson - Kyle Henderson began playing bells at Shades Valley Presbyterian Church while still in high school. He graduated from Mississippi State with a degree in education and currently teaches sixth grade social studies at Oak Mountain Middle School. He also currently serves as the music director for Shades Valley directing both adult and children's choirs. When not working or ringing, he loves learning about the world around him through the eyes of his four year old son.

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Marilyn Crotty - "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord..." Marilyn discovered handbell ringing when asked to "sub" in a singing/ringing ensemble and was immediately and forever "hooked." Currently, she directs the Jubilation and Youth Handbell Ensembles at Shades Crest Baptist Church, where she also is church pianist and assistant to the Minister of Music. She and her husband, Manson (whom she met at a French horn audition), are singers, instrumentalists, and Auburn University graduates (with degrees in everything but music!). They are parents of grown children Evan, Leanna, and Kyle (son-in-law) and new grandparents of Vivian.

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Melissa Whetstone - Music has always been an important part of Melissa's life, especially handbells.  She began playing bells at age 7 and has been playing ever since.  Throughout her teenage and early adult years, she played in handbell choirs directed by Dr. Norman Johnson, a nationally known handbell clinician.  She has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada playing bells with Dr. Johnson's choirs.  After getting married, she moved to Atlanta, Georgia.  While living in Atlanta, she played in the Golden Bells of Atlanta, Atlanta's premier professional handbell choir, under the direction of Roxanne Golden.  Melissa moved back to Birmingham in 2005 and took a short break from playing bells.  She is excited to be playing bells again!

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Nancy McCracken - Nancy has been ringing handbells almost as long as she has been breathing. One afternoon, while waiting for a ride home with the choir director after Junior High Church Choir, she was asked to fill in a vacant spot in the Senior High Bell Choir. She was hooked and has been ringing ever since. As well as ringing with Embellishments since its inception, she has over 36 years' experience playing in church choirs, ensemble groups, duets, and solo ringing. She majored in Music at Huntingdon College, but needed to find a way to pay the bills. This led to her earning a Master of Science Degree in Physical Therapy from UAB. A Senior Physical Therapist at Lakeshore Rehab Hospital by trade, she views ringing as one of the ways she keeps in touch with music, which was always her first love. She enjoys being a part of the only single instrument that is played by multiple performers. Husband Paul is infinitely patient and understanding of the time commitment involved, and his support is treasured.

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Richard Dickson - Richard became interested in ringing handbells in 1990 when, while waiting for a church directory picture to be made of the Chancel Choir, he was asked to grab 2 bells and be in the picture of the handbell choir. The rest is handbell history. He has always sung in church, school, and civic choruses as a baritone/tenor since elementary school in Birmingham, AL. And a few early years of piano lessons has helped grasp the art playing handbell music. He is one of the original members of "Embellishments" and has always played bass bells since its inception. He attends Canterbury United Methodist Church, Mountain Brook, AL where he is currently on a "time off" from both church Chancel and handbell choirs. Richard has 3 grown children, 2 daughters in Raleigh, NC and 1 son, an Army Special Forces Medic at Ft. Bragg, NC. "Handbells have been such an inspiration to me musically since I began ringing. The music they make always gives me a warm feeling at every performance."

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Rita Fulton - Rita earned her BA in Mathematics from Birmingham Southern College and is currently an actuary for Protective Life Insurance Company. She developed a love for music at a very young age, began piano lessons in the second grade and organ lessons in the fourth grade. During Rita's high school years, she played flute and oboe in her high school band and was the organist for the youth choir at her church. Her love for handbells began in 1983 when she began playing with a church choir. Rita has been a member of Christ Church United Methodist's handbell choir since 1984 and has been the director of this choir since January 2000. She joined Embellishments in 2002. Rita's younger daughter, Laura, lives in Atlanta; her older daughter and son in law, Jennifer and John, live in Birmingham and are the parents of her three grandchildren, Gabriel, Lucas and Cleo.

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Rusty Andrews - Rusty has been playing handbells for over 30 years. She began playing with the Covenant Ringers at Shades Valley Presbyterian Church. She has attended Handbell Festivals throughout the country and attended International Handbell Symposiums in USA (Albuquerque, NM), Canada, Japan and England. Rusty is a charter member of Embellishments. She also plays piano and clarinet. Rusty is the Church Hostess at Shades Valley Presbyterian Church.

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Sybil Watson - Sybil Watson began singing in her church choir at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery when she was in kindergarten and started taking piano lessons at eight. She always wanted to play handbells but, since the church had White Chapel bells, seventh grade was the youngest age she could join the bell choir.  And the rest is history!  Sybil has been playing with Canterbury United Methodist Church for many years and was a member of Embellishments in the early years.  After taking a few years off, she is now back.  Sybil has participated in many handbell festivals in the United States as well as the International Handbell Symposiums in Japan, England and Australia.  Sybil has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Birmingham-Southern College and is employed at Protective Life Corporation as a Business Analyst.  She also has three children in the form of Pomeranians named Sadie, Smut and Bud.  “I love handbells!!!!!”

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Tricia Parks - Tricia's interest in music began with piano lessons in the third grade. Active in high school and college bands and an accompanist for vocal students in college, her involvement with music faded after graduation. It was rekindled over fifteen years ago when she decided to give handbells a try. She is a member of the handbell choir at Christ Church United Methodist and joined Embellishments in 2004. Tricia is the marketing director for Menasha Ridge Press, an outdoor recreation and travel book publisher in Birmingham. She met her husband in their high school marching band (he played the trumpet). They have two grown children.

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