Coming to Grips

Today, I was working on a song that people would probably (and conventionally) classify as a rock-&-roll song. At the same time, I have been working on treatments for a video and I've had this really cool concept for a long time that I thought was perfect for this song. So, I'm thinking of all these things... how I would be the lead male actor in the video, what type of actress I wanted to be in it, wardrobe for the video, special effects... the whole nine. And then, I started thinking of recording this song and performing it and how this would work. I thought of the songs I'd written and how unique my portfolio is now and diverse my interests are as an artist.

Being that I'm a black male singer from Memphis with a background in soul and voice that many people compare to other R&B singers... I figured this was the category that people would try to lump me in. But I am so multi-faceted as an artist and my music has so many influences. I think R&B music is great and the genre definitely has a rich history, as it is represented by some of my favorite musicians and some of the best songs in modern history. However, I don't want to be grouped into any one category because all of them are limiting in some way. I want to transgress the boundaries of genre and blur the lines of them all.

I want to be a rock star. And not only do I want to be a rock star, but I also want to be a balladeer... and a choral singer... and even incorporate foreign languages into my music. I want to do it all! It's all feels natural to me.

When stores ask what area to put my CDs in, my gut response would be all of them! I don't want to just be put on MTV or BET or vH1... I want to be on all of them because in addition to relating to my individual fans, I want to relate them to one another. I want my black fans who haven't been exposed to rock-and-roll music to fall in love with the lead guitar... I want my white fans who haven't been exposed to soul music to be stirred by gospel-inspired, gut-wrenching vocals... I want my young fans who haven't been exposed to classical music to be captivated by dissonant SATB harmonies... I want my older fans to hear remnants of their favorite bands reincarnated... I want my music to relate and educate.

One of the hardest things to do is accept yourself... and this already difficult task is only made more difficult when you are a lot of person. I'm a lot of person. I have so many ideas, so many thoughts, so many dreams, and the craziest thing is...I am actually crazy, stubborn, and faithful enough to make them all happen.