Services for Nichols, 93

Mass of the Resurrection for Mr. Sheiby Nichols, 93, who began an 80-year singing career as a boy soprano in a church choir, will be held tomorrow at 10 a.m. in St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, 2555 E. 73rd St.

He died Tursday in a Southside hospital.

Visitation will begin at 7 p.m. tonight at Taylor Funeral Home, 79th and Wabash

Born in Marion, Kentucky November 30, 1894, Mr. Nichols first professional job was with the J. C. O'Bryant Famous Georgia Minnstrella, a tent show that played one-night stands in small towns. He traveled with the show through Jentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, and soon discovered that was not the music he like, and quit.

In 1919, and the end of World War I, he was employed by the YMCA as a song leader and stationed at Camp Meade, Maryland

In 1921 he was one of the few chosen to sign in St. Louis for the Celebraion of Missouri's 100th year of statehood.

years lalater, in Chicago, he sag for the world's Fair, and in 1939, he appeared at the new York World's fair. Other performances included a stint in the bill "Bojangles" Robinson production of "hot Mikado" on Broadway, concerts in Canada, and

before Alaska became a state, Mr. Nichols gave a show for native Americans, singing Black spirituals and reciting the poems of Paul Lawrence Dunbar.

He wored opposite Ethel Waters in "Mama's Daughters," "Member of the Wedding," and "Cabin in the Sky."

One of the founding members of the National Association of Negro Musician, he was also once president of the chicago Music Association.

He also sang in the WPA production of "Chimes of Normandy," at the Great Norther Theater, and was one of the principals cast as Rhamfis in Verdi's Opera, "Aida" produced by the National Negro Ppera Company by the late Mary Cardwell Dawson at the Civic Opera House, as well as in Pittsburgh and New York City.

The last 25 years of his singing career was spent at the Metropolitan Funeral Home, where he sometimes sang for six funerls per day. After his retirement, he devoted his time to writing songss, composing masses and arranging music to the poems of Langston Hughes and other modern works.

He is survived by his wife, Alice Davinia(correction Alyce Lavinia); daughter Selly Vidmar; son Edgar, a sister, Orthetta Griffin; step-children, grandchldren(correction grandchildren), great-grandchildren and other relatives.

18 CHICAGO DEFENDER - Wednesday, June 3, 1987

10 Section 2 Chicago Tribune, Tuesday, June 2, 1987

70 CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, Tuesday, June 2, 1987