For more than a quarter century, churches throughout the country have been inspired by the words and music of V. Michael McKay. As a well-respected conductor, clinician, speaker, songwriter and author, McKay has dedicated his life to a greater level of ministry, with a passion for meeting the needs of people in the contemporary Christian community.

McKay is a two-time Dove Award winner and a 2000 inductee into the Gospel Hall of Fame. His expertise as a conductor, clinician, songwriter and author has catapulted the careers of Grammy Award winner Yolanda Adams, Tramaine Hawkins and the Queen of Gospel, Albertina Walker, as well as Bryon Cage, Bishop Paul S. Morton and many others who have recorded his songs. His works are also included in the Southern Baptist Hymnal supplement, For the Living of These Days and GIA's groundbreaking African American Heritage Hymnal.

His articles related to music ministry have been published in Gospel Industry Today magazine. McKay’s recently published book, I Would Sit Up With You, But I’m Sick Myself, a survival manual targeted specifically to, but not limited to, church workers, is a powerful expression of his personal challenges of one whose work and worship are synonymous.

McKay honed his musical and composing skills while a student at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. McKay facilitates and sponsors a workshop for songwriters and church musicians called Songwriters’ Ink, which is held every two years.

McKay lectures at various conferences throughout the year, including the bi-annual Bobby Jones Gospel’s International Gospel Industry Retreat held in May and December. He also served on the Board of Directors for Dr. Margaret Douroux’s Heritage Music Foundation, as well as Teresa Hairston’s Gospel Heritage Foundation.