Meet Charlin Neal | Vocal Director & Producer, Worship Leader

We had the good fortune of connecting with Charlin Neal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charlin, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I grew up in Bakersfield, California which is in Central California. Bakersfield is directly in between the two major cities, Fresno and Los Angeles. My parents are devout Christians, so much of my days and nights were spent at St. John MBC. I appreciated it very much because my Mom and older siblings served in the choir. The choir at St. John was filled with 70 – 100 persons. Every Sunday and Thursday their voices filled the sanctuary with powerful gospel worship tunes. As my Mom and older siblings would sit in the choir stand rehearsing at the weekly choir rehearsals, my younger siblings and I would sit in the pews listening along. This is where my love and appreciation for Gospel choirs began. I would closely listen and observe as both Music Minster Don Hicks and Music Director Don Factory would sit on the organ and piano bench, dishing out vocal parts to the eager vocalists. I would learn all three parts, soprano, alto, and tenor, and would sing at the top of my lungs, anxiously waiting for the day that I could join the powerful sound.
That was the beginning of my choir foundation. I appreciated Don and Don’s God gifted abilities and skills. I truly appreciated how they took time to greet all members, patiently listening to them talk, vent, cry, etc. never giving the impression that they were too busy or tired. They led with authority yet kindness which was incredible. Their style of teaching along with many of their principles I utilize today. I currently am the Vocal Director at Valley Baptist Church where I am in charge of the Choir and Vocal Teams. We have 146 members in the choir. I know all members names and communicate with them weekly. I am not a pianist, however, I can sing every vocal part, ensuring and helping all vocalists in rehearsals when trying to execute their vocal part. I”ll forever be grateful for the seed that was planted in me at St. John.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I wear a few hats. I am a Vocal Director, Vocal Producer, Worship Leader, Vocal Workshop Clinician, Session Vocalist. As a Vocal Director, I work full time at Valley Baptist Church (Bakersfield) leading the choir and worship teams. Being a Vocal
Director over a church choir and worship teams, I am constantly having to study and learn new materials and create methods that work for all ages and cultures. There are 8 different cultures represented in the Valley Baptist Choir. The youngest member in the choir is 13, while the oldest member is 84. It is a broad range. I must always stay on top of all my assignments,
otherwise the ship sinks. God has utilized me to be a bridge builder and a culture shifter in our church, having encouraged and helped to lead our congregation in a freeing worship experience; the catalyst being the choir to help promote and assist in the shifting of the Sunday worship setting.

Serving in the church, allows me to see first-hand what needs are in the music department and how I can help. So, I work with the online Worship Music company Multi Tracks where I am creating a vocal catalog for them. We take current CCM songs, I record SAT vocal parts for the songs for vocalists to download and utilize in a rehearsal and live worship setting. The catalog
will be released in 2024. We also take CCM songs and create Gospel sounding arrangements for these songs and promote to multi-cultural churches. I vocal produce and arrange all vocal arrangements for these songs and send back to Multi Tracks to again build their online catalog. I feel like me seeing this need in the church has helped in setting me a part. I saw a need, acted on faith and reached out to the company with a solution, and now we are working to get the job done.

On top of my full-time schedule as a Vocal Director at Valley Baptist Church, and my work with Multi Tracks, I have been singing and traveling the earth with Israel and New Breed since 2007 and serve as the Vocal Director. I have Vocal Produced multiple projects for the group along with other Worship Leaders and artists in the CCM and Gospel music world. I am session vocalist having recorded and worked with many artists.

I also travel across the earth conducting Vocal Workshops combined with Nights of Worship, for Worship Leaders, Worship Teams, Choirs, Vocalists, and schools. I have conducted these workshops and Nights of Worship in both English and Spanish. I do not speak Spanish but can sing in Spanish. I like teaching spiritual and practical vocal techniques in a four-hour span. I then
incorporate everything learned into a Sunday morning service setting and Nights of Worship. I send vocal parts in advance to encourage the teams to study all parts and lyrics.

What am I excited about? 2 things 1) The continued doors that God opens for me as a result of me surrendering my gifts and skillsets to Him. 2) At the top of 2024, I released my first Spanish single called Jesús. It features El Salvadorian Christian Worship Artist Lucia Parker. Last June, I had the privilege of going to a mission trip in El Salvador. I spent a week in the beautiful country encouraging people to give their life to Christ. I did one Vocal Workshop at the Aula Magna de Universidad Evangélica and led two Night’s of Worship singing only in Spanish. I do not speak Spanish but can sing in Spanish. It’s mind blowing to know that God can use my even in countries where I do not necessarily speak the language. My song Jesús has reached across the globe especially in Central and South America. When I look at my apple music and spotify charts and see people listening to my song in countries like Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Spain, Guatemala, South Africa, and so forth, I just cannot help but thank God for giving me understanding that there are Christian brothers and sisters across the earth, and that they are being blessed by the lyrics He has given me. I will be releasing another Spanish single this year followed by another English single. Will I release singles in other languages besides Spanish, absolutely!

Lessons I am constantly learning along the way, humility. God has given many gifts and skill sets to many people. I am not the only one, and there are more far more advanced than me. Adapting to change. Everything evolves, and I have to be willing to adapt to the “new” and improved. My character; what do people think and say about me? Am I loving, kind, patient, considerate humble, a good listener, a zealous leader, skillful? My prayer is that anyone I encounter would describe me in this way.

What do I want the world to know about me and what I do? I love God. I love His people and love to love on His people. I love to serve and equip the global church through vocal music. I love to travel the earth using my skillsets to make disciples for Him. I love learning new cultures and adapting to new styles of music. For the remainder of my days I want to utilize all that I can to glorify God.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love Bakersfield because it is home and will always be. My parents were married in Bakersfield. I met my husband Kevin in Bakersfield. Our children were born in Bakersfield. Both sides of our families live in Bakersfield. So again, Bakersfield is home. What I will say, Bakersfield is not a place for fun entertainment. Every now and then a great artist or comedian will stop through Bakersfield. Otherwise many locals travel to nearby cities Los Angeles or Las Vegas for entertainment.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to my husband Kevin and our three children Katelin, Kaydin, and Kennedy. My husband and I have been married 11 years come May. Never once has Kevin looked down on my skillset and talked negative about the dreams and goals I pursue. He has always been extremely supportive and always willing to assist whenever and however. Because I am a creative, I am always creating and jotting down ideas via my notebook or my phone. He knows when the “light bulb” moment happens for me and encourages me to plan it out. I am grateful for my kids who have patience with me balancing my schedule, doing my best to make sure their needs are met first.

Shoutout to my parents, Charles and Linda Moore, and my siblings Timothy Moore, Ayrian Gridiron, Miriam Marquez, Zachary Moore, Veronica Moore, Ceth Moore, Caxon Moore, Criston Moore, and Hailey Moore. I am one of 10 siblings. My reason for loving music was because of my parents. My spiritual background is because of my parents. My gifts and skillsets were cultivated and nurtured by my parents. My gifting and skillsets were sharpened by my siblings. We all have been blessed with the gift of musicianship and singing in some capacity. I can always go to my siblings to hash out ideas and seek wisdom on how to tackle any music project. Some of my siblings sometimes travel with me when I am a guest Worship Leader at any event. My siblings are my greatest friends.

Website: www.charlinneal.com

Instagram: @charlinneal

Linkedin: @charlinneal

Facebook: @charlinneal

Youtube: @charlinnealmusic

Image Credits
Makenzie Photography – (photos with Lucia) Rafael Garcia Photo – (promo photo in gold shirt)