Feb 14, 1920 - Nov 29, 2022 The Heavenly Choir of Angels put out the call for a new director and Albert John McNeil, the founder and longtime director of the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singer of Los Angeles, answered the call on November 29, 2022. Albert was living in Rancho Mirage, California with his friends Rafael Ceron, Bill Deacon, and Donald Knapp when he passed on to his life above. Albert McNeil came into this world on February 14. 1920. His mother was Rodia McNeil, and his father was John McNeil, both famous vaudeville entertainers that settled in the Los Angeles area known as Watts. Albert spent his early childhood in Los Angeles with his parents John and Rodia McNeil who made a living as vaudeville entertainers. One of Albert's childhood memories was seeing musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton over at their house often for dinner. At 8 years old, Albert's parents started him with music lessons, and they would quickly learn their son possessed a natural talent for piano. By 14, he was hired as a pianist at the local church and by his junior year of high school, Albert had become the Director of the Youth Choir at The People's Independent Church of Christ in Los Angeles. Albert earned his bachelor and master's degrees in music education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and did his Doctoral studies at the University of Southern California (USC), Westminster Choir College of Princeton, and the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Prior to Albert's enrollment in UCLA, he had met two musicians, Hall Johnson and Jester Hairston. They were composers as well as conductors of spirituals. They welcomed Albert with "open arms" into their musical fraternity. In the early 50s, Albert met Helen Katherine Rambo at his local church. Al and Helen created a close bond and eventually married. With Helen's companionship and support, The Albert Mc Neil Singers started to take shape. Albert and Helen had a son together, whom they named Richard. Al is survived by his son Richard McNeil, a prominent attorney in Orange County, and three grandchildren: Joseph, James and Ava. Preceding him in death is his sister Dorothyea Hanley. Other family members surviving Albert are his niece and nephew Robin Hanley James and Chester H. Hanley. After spending 22 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Albert took advantage of the opportunity to teach on the college level. In 1968, Dr. McNeil was invited to the University of California at Davis to become a part of the Music Education Program. After helping to develop the program, he became head of the Music Department and Director of Choral activities for 21 years. He took the U.C. Davis chorus to England, France, Russia, China, Tahiti, and Australia. While at UC Davis, Albert spent 10 years as the Director of the Sacramento Chorale and co-founded the Sacramento Symphony Chorus. In addition to his teaching and work with the Jubilee Singers, McNeil was active in the church choir community in the greater Los Angeles area. He was Minister of Music at the Congregational Church of Christian Fellowship for over 30 years, as well as the Director of Music at the Founders Church of Religious Science. The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers brought the beauty of the African American spiritual music to countless thousands of people around the world including Kings, Queens, Popes and other world leaders leaving listeners speechless and none the less influenced. The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers have toured over 77 countries and 48 of the 50 states, educating and entertaining vast audiences. In Al's words, it was his mission to share the Negro Spiritual's beauty and message of an illiterate people with the world". Every performance brought people to their feet and moved so many to tears. What Albert accomplished was nothing short of a miracle! He brought people together to experience America's 1st and only true art form. Albert will go down as one of the greatest choral conductors to walk this planet for those reasons. We thank, praise, and cherish Albert John Joseph McNeil for all of his hard work and talent he has shared with us. Albert had a mission to spread the beauty of his music across the globe. It is safe to say Albert accomplished that goal and so much more. This is a legacy that will be left but not forgotten. The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers will continue to share and spread the "good news" of the spiritual and all of its promises. A viewing will be held at the White and Day Center in Redondo Beach on Thursday December 15, 2022, from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. A Mass in celebration of Albert's life will held at St. James Catholic Church in Redondo Beach, California, on Saturday December 17, 2022 at 10:00 AM. The burial will be at Inglewood Park Cemetery, in Inglewood, California.

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Published by Daily Breeze on Dec. 13, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for Albert McNeil

Sponsored by Daily Breeze.

9 Entries

Fred

February 23, 2025

Remembering Mr. McNeil. Continue being the music man in heaven.

Cathy

May 16, 2024

I was a student at Audubon and Dorsey High, I never forgot Mr. McNeil he gave me such a love of music and singing. I look back often at those times in his choir and what it meant to me. For some reason, I was thinking about him today and I decided to google and much to my surprise I see he has passed. I had no idea his age because he was so young and beautiful at the time in the 60s. my condolences and sympathy go out to his family.

Nancy

February 7, 2023

I just found out today that Dr. Mc Neil had left us and I am heartbroken. I, too, went to Audubon and Dorsey and enjoyed his teachings. I had a small part in Three Rabbits on the town as a girlfriend of one of the sailors and I also had background parts in some of his and Mario Lomeli's major productions, such as The King and I and South Pacific. I never enjoyed school so much and I adored both teachers. I got together with two other fans and went to some of his presentations and met to eat and talk with him and some of his wonderful singers. He conducted 300 musician students at Santa Monica High School at Stairway To The Stars, which was such an honor (and he had to be in his late 80's). What a wonderful man; Heaven is lucky to have him. To his family I am sorry you have had such a very great loss.

Frederick A. Ford II

January 3, 2023

I wish to offer my condolences to the McNeil family and to say that I was a student of your father many years ago at both Audubon Junior High and Dorsey High school in Los Angeles dating back into the sixties. Mr. McNeil inspired me to continuing with singing for life. I am now 74 years old and can remember how he was so instructive and caring with how he taught choir. I remember him as valuing students and pulling the best out of us as we worked to learn, from what I remember , some very challenging works of music. I remember clearly learning for the first time a bit of latin, particularly the phrase: ci cu era imperio et nu at semper, et en seculorum amen. Mr. McNeil gave me a small lead part in Audubon's production of Finnis Rainbow and boy was I nervous at that performance. It was that small jester of recognition from someone so musically trained and knowledgeable that has kept me singing in church choirs, groups and productions for many, many years, even to the present. Mr. McNeil- well done, thy good and faithful servant.

Linda Bartow

December 18, 2022

When I remember the joyful times at UC Davis, I remember Al. Standing on the piano stool and stomping his foot for attention, he taught us what it was to be a choir. In 1985, in the Soviet Union, he was the one with nerve enough to gather us during a tour of a church, a space relegated to secular use, and direct us in an impromptu concert of sacred music. Beautiful.
Life lessons I learned from Al include "You have to carry your own luggage, no one is going to do it for you" - so true in travel and day to day survival. He was a very special man and director.
Linda Wallace Bartow

Patty Green

December 16, 2022

It has been about sixty five years since I was a member of Dr. McNeils chorus at Audubon Junior High. I still remember him and the lessons he imparted to all of us. He stands out in my memory as one of the finest teachers I ever had. My sympathy to his family.

Dr. John P. Crocker Jr.

December 16, 2022

When Dr. Gwynn Wyatt told me of your passing, I was speechless and still am. I have watched your work for years Sir and have always watched you set us all straight at Festivals and Performance Settings that only you, with God´s Musical Grace upon your life, demonstrate to us what true
Professional Musicianship is and will ever be. I hope to be like you some day Sir when I grown up and continue to show the world how rich a gift The African American Spiritual and our Music as a people really and truly is. You are going to be missed by us all. Thank you for being a true example of what Excellence Looks Like in and outside of the classroom for African Americans as a whole and African American Men specifically. Until we meet again Good Doctor on God´s Peaceful Shore. Save a seat for me in Heaven´s Choir!! I will see you again.

Carolyn Kunin

December 14, 2022

As a former student of yours at Audubon Junior High School in the early sixties I have followed your career with great interest. Singing for you was one of the great joys of my life and hearing you and your Jubilee Singers perform recreated that joy. I love you, dear Mr McNeil.

Tony White

December 13, 2022

Thank you, Dr. McNeil, for your contribution to music and music education. I have heard of your name so many times. Thank you for your service to the students of the Los Angeles Unified School District!

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