Brian Boyce
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE —
An old friend of the city came for more than cappuccino at the Ginger Snaps Coffee House on Saturday night.
“This is home for me,” Roger Cheeks said, microphone in hand, at the coffee house’s stage inside the Open Door Bookstore on the west side of Honey Creek Mall.
Cheeks’ fourth and latest CD, “Worship from the Heart,” is on sale at the Open Door Bookstore, as well as Christian music venues across the country.
But as he pointed out while offering a sample performance of his songs, Terre Haute is where his dynamic and eclectic life began. Born and raised here, Cheeks graduated from Warren Elementary, Chauncey Rose Middle School and Terre Haute North Vigo High School before accepting a basketball scholarship to Southeastern Louisiana University.
And despite his childhood passion for basketball, Cheeks said he eventually followed in his father’s footsteps, entering the ministry.
“I just felt that warm desire to be in the ministry,” he explained between songs, the rhythmic beat of which kept people’s toes tapping throughout the one-hour performance.
Cheek is a former Terre Haute City Councilman, and the first African-American in the city’s history to hold elected office. He also served as assistant director of the African American Cultural Center and was assistant dean of student affairs at Indiana State University before moving out east where he currently works as director of student life and interim director of campus ministries at Regent University.
“I didn’t do this CD to make money, I did it to minister to the Lord,” he said of the songs he wrote himself.
Gingersnaps owner Lisa Eilbracht said the store will continue to host more Christian artists, and information about those performances can be found at www.gingersnapscafe.com or their Facebook page.
Cheek’s 87-year-old mother, Virginia, dropped by the performance to clap along with her son.
“I’m grateful for this community,” he said, noting he’s been on mission trips around the world. “But Dorothy was right, there’s no place like home.”
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
