Music has always been in my soul. Growing up in South Carolina, I was inspired by legendary gospel groups like the Mighty Clouds of Joy, the Five Blind Boys, and the Soul Stirrers, who performed at Clarke Baptist Church and Saint Paul Baptist Church in Orangeburg.
In 1962, I moved to Philadelphia, where I earned my Associate Degree in Business Management and Paralegal Studies with a focus on Corporate Law.
My passion for rhythm led me to West Philadelphia in 1969, where I studied African and Latin drum rhythms with Kirk Keys, Dave Bivins, Bobby "BaBa" Crowder, and Richard "Mutt" Barber at the Lee Culture Center. On weekends, fellow percussionists and I would gather at Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park to play and share techniques.
From 1972 to 1980, I worked as driver and assistant for Honey and the Bees (who later became part of the Richie Family), working closely with Jimmy Bishop Sr. During their engagements at the Uptown Theater, I learned the business of music and stage production from two Philadelphia legends: Leon Mitchell and Walt Reed.
In the 1980s, Kenny Gamble founded the International Black Music Association to educate aspiring artists about the music industry. As a grassroots founder of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter alongside Marty Coverdale and Jowharah Shabazz (Dr. Jacqueline Swift), I helped produce tributes to James Brown, Count Basie, Miles Davis, Linda Creed, Norman Harris, and Jack the Rapper in Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, DC. Working under chapter heads Jonathan Black, Al Richardson, and Warren Hamilton, I gained deep expertise in the music business.
Over the years, I've performed at venues across the country, including the Monterey Blues Festival, the Academy of Music, Robin Hood Dell East, and the Cotton Club. It's been an honor to work with legendary artists such as James Cleveland, Solomon Burke, Stevie Wonder, John Lee Hooker, Fred Wesley, Norman Harris, George Clinton, Donald Byrd, the Delfonics, the Intruders, the Vibrations, Bootsy Collins, Clarence Clemons, Henry "Lightening" Neal, Buddy Dee, Willie Phillips, T Conway and the Revelations, Larry Richardson, Warren Haskins, Victory Call Ensemble, and the Philadelphia Mass Choir.
As a Black Music Ambassador to the Sound of Philadelphia, I've worked closely with Alfie Pollitt and the Philly All Star Band, and I'm a co-founder of the Black Entertainment Music Association.
I'm an active member of Bethany Baptist Church in Lindenwold, New Jersey, under Bishop David G. Evans, singing tenor with the Voices of Praise choir. I continue studying voice and breathing techniques with Pastor Lonnie V. Hunter III, who served 23 years as Minister of Music at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago and now leads worship at Bethany Baptist.
My musical vision is broad—I'm passionate about performing, collaborating, teaching, and promoting artists across genres. This allows me to combine my talents with others and perpetuate the music I love.
My career continues to unfold through frequent performances and tireless efforts to share the gift of music. Whether gospel, blues, jazz, or R&B, I bring sensitivity and control balanced with creativity and raw energy to every performance.
Performing, composing, arranging, recording, and producing across diverse musical styles. I play a variety of percussion instruments, moving seamlessly from Cuban/Latin Soul, R&B, and Funk to Blues and Gospel—bringing the right rhythm and energy to every genre.
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