How did you get into making music, and how did arts education (or lack thereof) affect you and your music?

Music was a part of growing up in my family. We all started playing multiple instruments at a very young age and they were scattered around the house like toys; we weren’t given the choice of not playing an instrument, and so it seemed unnatural not to. Plus, it sounded cool, and I wanted to be able to do that.

In music class, people who were into it just kind of gravitated towards each other, and the music room became kind of a club house for us. I met Moses Jackson in second grade at Kenwood, and he introduced me to The Sugar Hill Gang and Queen in 1978. He wanted to rap, I could keep rhythm for him on this crazy coconut looking thing the music teacher had in the music room, we got a bunch of other kids together and did our thing at a talent show, people cheered and I was hooked. Music does so much for brain development that I can’t even start to describe the benefits; rhythm helps in math class, lyrics help in English; it lets you see the thoughts between the thoughts.

The 757s “Teenage Logic” (mp3)

Official :: MySpace :: Amazon

This post is part of our 60-hour blogathon in support of music development and literacy within the Twin Cities. We appreciate you visiting the site – but before you go, we ask that you consider clicking the Donors Choose banner below and giving what you can to help enrich the lives of a number of local children through music and reading. Thank you. – Culture Bully