Betty Sue Shepherd
Dr. Betty Sue Shepherd was legendary throughout the Southeast as a brilliant performer and consummate teacher. She passed away in 2007 after teaching for 50 years at Samford University , and serving 38 years as organist at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church.

The Shepherd Scholarship Fund
A scholarship fund was established in order to honor the memory of Betty Sue Shepherd by giving scholarship assistance to music students in colleges in the Birmingham area. The scholarship program is administered by a committee within Vestavia Hills Baptist Church , and students are invited to apply for scholarship awards each academic year. Scholarship recipients are invited to participate in the worship, programs and activities of the church.

The Shepherd Memorial Concert
May 4, 2008 at 7:00 PM
The Shepherd Scholarship Fund will remain viable through the proceeds of an annual gala concert. The 2008 Shepherd Memorial Concert will take place in the Jemison Concert Hall at the Alys Stephens Center, and features a festival choir made up of singers from Vestavia Hills Baptist Church, The Birmingham Concert Chorale, The Cahaba Chorale, The Baptist Church of the Covenant, and Vestavia Hills High School. They will perform Mozart's Requiem in memory of Dr. Shepherd, accompanied by the Southeastern Chamber Orchestra. In addition, one of Dr. Shepherd's former students, Dawson Hull, will perform Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 as a tribute to his mentor and teacher. It is hoped that the annual gala concert becomes a singular and lasting memorial to an inspiring musician and brilliant performer.