Music is living for 12-year-old Lizzie Williams of First Baptist Church, Livingston. Beginning at the age of five, when she got in trouble for singing in class, music has been an integral part of Williams’ life.
“Her singing got her in trouble all the time in kindergarten,” said Williams’ father, Bob. But “her teacher recognized her talent and had her sing at kindergarten graduation.”
She went on to perform with the Sumter Theater and is a member of the Baptist Honor Choir and the Canticle Singers.
“[First Baptist] Church has been very supportive of her musical talents,” Bob Williams said, adding that church pianist Barbara Neely taught Lizzie how to read music.
Playing instruments is also in Lizzie’s repertoire. She learned to play the piano at 6, and then learned the organ and flute.
In the summer of 2002, Lizzie discovered the psaltery, a stringed instrument that is a member of the dulcimer family. Mentioned in Psalm 150:3 among instruments used to praise God, the instrument’s origins date back to at least 2,000 years ago.
While vacationing with her family at Tannehill State Park near Tuscaloosa she saw a psaltery demonstration. Her mother, Becky, and Lizzie immediately took a liking to the stringed instrument. “She wanted us to buy her one right away,” Becky said.
A fast learner, within nine days Lizzie had learned to play and had her debut performance at First, Livingston. Since then, she has played at other places, and has her eyes set on the challenge that will expand her skills even more. “My next goal is to learn to play [the psaltery] and sing at the same time,” she said.
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