Remembering Birmingham gospel music icon Alona Sperling Cunningham

Birmingham gospel music icon Alona Sperling Cunningham passed away on November 25. Family and friends began publishing tributes in her honor across social media after her death was announced.

Tributes

Early Years

She was born on April 4, 1944, to the late Alex and Bama Lee Sperling of Birmingham, Alabama. She attended Tuggle Elementary School and A. H. Parker High School, where she graduated in January 1961.

Alona became interested in music and accepted Christ during her early years. She began taking piano lessons at the age of 10 and started playing for the Sunday School at Sardis Baptist Church at the age of 12. As a teenager, she also played at Harmony Street Baptist Church.

School Days

She attended Miles College for one year and then received a music scholarship to Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. While attending JSU, she majored in music with a minor in Mathematics and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. During her time at Jackson State, she met her future husband Jerry Cunningham while tutoring him in piano and became a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority in 1963.

After graduating from Jackson State, she taught school in Jackson, Mississippi briefly. She would later relocate to Binghamton New York, and received a fellowship to State University New York (SUNY) and her Master’s Degree in Music Education.

Music Career

While serving as the Director of Music at Sardis Baptist Church for over 40 years she led a diverse ministry consisting of anthems, spirituals, and gospel music. As the music teacher and choir director at West End High School from 1994 to 2008, she mentored and molded several students and also assisted in students receiving music scholarships, then later served in a similar role at Jackson Olin High School from 2008 until her retirement in 2010.

Directing Birmingham Community Mass Choir – GMWA

Alona was a proud member of the Birmingham Community Mass Choir for 25 years.

Sacred Harmony – Take It to the Lord in Prayer

As a classically trained pianist and lover of opera, in early 2019 she founded Sacred Harmony, a choral group of singers. She later joined First Memorial Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Al Moore and was a faithful member of the music ministry, senior adult, and women’s ministry.

She leaves to cherish her memory, her husband of 58 years Jerry Cunningham, and her children Audra Cunningham Streety and Damon Cunningham, siblings, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends. Her homegoing service was held at New Pilgrim Baptist Church on December 2, 2023.

Homegoing Service