Features Editor

Shelia Jackson is unforgettable.

Troy and Pike County know that. Now the whole state will know.

The Alabama

Bureau of Tourism and Travel has named Shelia Jackson as one of "Alabama’s Unforgettable Faces" for 2003.

In making the announcement, Mark Berson, director of the state bureau, said Jackson has sung for presidents, governors, professional executives and sports fans and all have admired the purity and clarity of her voice.

"As the tourism director for the city of Troy and Pike County, Shelia Jackson readily shares her pride in Southeast Alabama and its travel destinations at each venue where she performs," Berson said.

Jackson said she was both honored and humbled by her selection for this prestigious recognition.

"This is a great honor to receive and I am very appreciative of it," she said. "And, I am blessed

to be able to share a gift that God has given me with the best

people in the world – the people of Troy, Pike County and the great state of Alabama."

Jackson’s unforgettable voice is her trademark and many are in awe of her "special" gift.

But, Jackson questions that her gift of song is special.

"Special gift? I’m not sure that my voice is a ‘special" gift,’ she said. "It’s a wonderful gift and I’m thankful for it, but God has given me other gifts that are very special to me – my husband, Kevin, and my children, Haley and Patrick. My whole family is a gift. They are so special in my life. And, life, itself. Those are the real special gifts. We all have these special gifts from God."

Jackson learned early in life that all gifts come from God. She learned that in church and that’s also where she learned to sing.

"As long as I can remember I’ve been singing and church is where I learned," she said. "I grew up singing gospel songs and spirituals and they are still among my favorites."

But as she grew so did her love of music.

"I love any kind of music," she said. "I love jazz. I love classical. I love opera. I love pop. I love country. I love it all and I like to sing it all. I especially like to sing patriotic songs because everyone relates to them. Some people don’t like opera and some people don’t like country, but everyone loves a patriotic song."

Jackson is a patriotic person. She loves her country and she loves her home state, her hometown and her home county.

"Everywhere I go, I’m proud to say that I’m from Troy and Pike County," she said. "It’s a wonderful place to live and work. I am blessed to have a job that gives me so many opportunities to be out among people and a job where I have the privilege of representing my community and its people."

During the year 2003, Jackson will have many opportunities to represent Troy and Pike County as one of "Alabama’s Unforgettable Faces."

"I hope that I am deserving of this honor," she said. "I hope that being selected for this recognition will give me more opportunities to tell people about a place that is unforgettable to me – Pike County, Alabama."

Jackson was nominated as one of "Alabama’s Unforgettable Faces" by Frances Smiley, assistant director of the State of Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel, and Marilyn Jones Stamps, director of state tourism publications.