Theola Booker Music Inc
Meet Our Founder and Her Legacy
Alita Booker Reed
Alita Booker Reed serves as the current Executive Director. Born Alita Corine Booker, this native Houstonian, is the youngest child, and only daughter, of the late Dr. Gusta Booker, Jr., and the late Dr. Theola Massie Booker. She has been married to Kelly M. Reed, of Atlanta, GA, for 18 years. They are the proud parents of three daughters, Tess, Blake, and August Thea. She is a graduate of Grambling State University. During her matriculation, she led the Earl Lester Cole Honors College as President during the 1994-95 school year, and she was crowned Miss Senior, 1995-96. She obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing in 1996. Alita earned her Master of Business Administration from Texas Southern University in December, 2000. She has been a Flight Attendant with United Airlines for twenty-one years.
Being born into a musical family, as both of her parents majored in music at Texas Southern University, she had no choice but to begin her studies at a very early age. At the age of four, she began studying piano and violin through classical training. Over the years, she has participated in various competitions, and received numerous awards as a violinist. She organized and presently serves as the leader of the Strings Ministry at Greater St. Matthew Church. Alita is currently the principal second violinist with the Scott Joplin Chamber Orchestra. She has been studying under Rodica Gonzalez, Houston Symphony violinist, for over twenty years. Alita enjoys working with young future musicians who participate in the Dr. Theola Booker Summer Music Camp, held annually in July.
A proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Alita enjoys volunteering with her daughters’ Parent Teacher Organizations. She loves helping her daughters practice, and watching as they grow in their love of music and the arts!
Executive Director
Founder
Theola Booker
Dr. Theola Booker, a native Houstonian, graduated from Texas Southern University. She received her bachelors and masters degrees in music education with an emphasis on piano. She was a prominent and influential leader in the community and abroad. She was a former piano lab and violin instructor, magnet coordinator and general music teacher for the Houston Independent School District (HISD). She worked with current and past music greats such as Dorothy Norwood and the legendary James Cleveland. She was highly respected by her peers and received numerous awards on the local and state level as an outstanding composer, songwriter, pianist and director. She received the Pianist of the Year award from the Texas gospel radio announcer's guild, an organization established to preserve traditions in gospel music. Theola Booker directed youth choirs for the National Baptist Congress and NAACP National Convention. Dr. Booker was a voting member of the Recording Academy for many years. The Recording Academy presents the Grammy Award for “Outstanding Achievement in the music industry” in the United States. Theola Booker always dreamed of having a music camp. She started the summer music camp for all youth in Houston and surrounding areas in 2005.