I was always a person who never grew comfortable sitting still in one place once achieving something. I always had to be productive with an accomplishment in rear sight. I created a lot of opportunities for myself which led to success. During this time, in the fall of 2003, I had made the most of being a college dropout. Whatever the streets had to offer me as a producer, & violinist, I was on it to the point, the name “The Mad Violinist” rang a lot of bells being there was really only 1 other “Hip-Hip” violinist out by the name, Miri ben Ari. She was on Harlem NY’s Showtime at the Apollo which was hosted by Steve Harvey. It led her to work with Kanye West, & many others. I was on 106 & Park with famous celebrity hosts Free, & AJ. This was a time when creating a buzz on social media was little to non-existent. Even my style of play was little to non existent as I was simply creating something from within not wanting to sound like every other violin player. You needed some form of national tv to get your name out to the masses. The internet wasn’t quite the viral machine it is today. BET was our instagram for the latest on young black culture. Because of that, & being in the streets heavy, it was the biggest way to build your own fanbase, & get recognized by other artists.

The first major artist to ever give me any notoriety, BB king. I was only 19 years old when Mason Ashe, who was an investor alongside Tommy Peter’s in the BB King restaurant franchises invited me to come play at BB Kings, in Nashville, TN. Not only did they invite me to come play, but for a 2 night jam session celebrating BB Kings Birthday with the man himself. When I received the news, I was at home in Tallahassee, still living with my parent’s. During that time, they could see anyone who was calling as when still were using landline phones. Cell phone’s during that time were just beginning to become popular as a main source of communication. Every piece of exciting news I received, was coming to my parent’s house first.

I received that call to come to Nashville just days before the King’s Birthday celebration. Everyone in my family was strapped for funds during that time. I had 3 siblings in college, and was hustling my way through life following my dreams. Like usual, my mom being the go getter she is, talked my older cousin Donnell into renting me a truck, so I can drive to Nashville. Like my mom, Donell was a hustler, & always helped everyone else first.

Now that I have transportation, and money in my pockets, my 19 year old country ass is ready to drive this big red Dodge Ram to Nashville all by myself. Did I mention that it was freighting? Not to also mention I almost killed a family switching lanes on the way. If there was a time God spared my life, & maybe the lady with 3 kids in the other car, it was going through Cottandale, Alabama, getting on US 431 North. After that, the rest of the trip was smooth sailing as I arrived to my hotel in downtown Nashville the evening before BB’s two day Birthday jam at BB King’s on 2nd Ave. I remember being so excited, I could hardly sleep. I was somewhere between anxious, and nervous while my mom wanted an update every 15 minutes which was typical lol.

That next morning, I woke up early, & received a call from Mason who picked me up from the hotel for an afternoon meeting with he, & BB King franchise investor, Tommy Peters. Tommy, & Mason sat me down to talk to me about the order of show both nights. That’s when I learned famous actor, Steven Segal, who was very popular during that time, had a band, & would be opening up for BB King during that time. They also added, Steven would be bringing a good amount of stars on stage as special guests, & that they would be talking to him about bringing me up as I was the only unknown guest on stage. Probably every music legend who was a native of Nashville, & Memphis was there that night. From the likes of Winona Judd, Vince Gill, Stephen Cropper, Leroy Parnell, Kirk Whalum, Eric Gales, & Fleetwood Mac to name a few, I was in pretty legendary company. I remember that night, Winona Judd, & her 3 background singer’s who were older phenomenal black woman, sang the fool out of “How Great Thou Art”.

The first night starts as Steven Segal takes center stage with his band. Steven Segal actually sounded pretty decent. His band was solid. They made him look good for sure. After a few songs, Steven started to bring up guests up to jam on a song with him. He would give everyone about a 32 bar solo. Finally, as Im sitting backstage anxious to perform in front of this amazing crowd, the MC for the night calls me to the stage, and I walk up calmly while plugging in my Yamaha SV100 electric violin. As Steven is in the middle of the song, Im thinking to myself; “Alright, you have 32 bars to show these people that though you are 40 years younger than the average age musician on stage, you belong.” The big moment is finally here, & I gave it everything I had. When I tell you, that place erupted after my solo, it still is one of the top memorable moments in my life, & that wasn’t even close to the best part of my night. BB King still had to perform to say the least.

As Im on a high from performing with Steven Segal, & backstage talking with Mason, BB King with a heap load of his children, & family, walk through the door. Im sitting in a chair balling up feeling little as a mustard seed until Mason walk BB to my area, and introduces us. As BB proceeds to hit the stage with his legendary band, all that could go through my head, was “wow”! I couldn’t believe I just shook hands with the one of the, if not the greatest blues artist to ever do it. For the first time, I was ready to step outside of my own heavy stubbornness, and soak up what I could from the best. Even if that only meant by watching.

As BB, and his band were graciously, & effortlessly smashing the stage, I was dialed in while noticing something about BB King’s stage presence. When I tell you I was stubborn at 19 when my mom used to always tell me, “less is better”. Watching BB King that night made everything my mom taught me make sense. My mom is one of the finest violinists you will ever hear. She has always been known for her spin on the melody of a song. Still until this day, I have never heard anyone play a love, or gospel song like her. It’s hard for me to play “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, because she floors it so hard.

BB King was not only playing, but entertaining. I literally watched him play the same 8 notes for 32 bars. What was impressive about it, he expressed every note different. After playing his solo, he would tell the band to lay back, and just let the song breathe while BB just looked at the crowd from front to back with a smile. It was like he was finding his inspiration by becoming one with the audience. BB king could pull the soul of of any crowd simply because he understood what they needed to hear. He was capable of a lot of things, but I witnessed his true gift that night, which was his love for every note. By that time, I was very inspired, & for the first time in a long time, overly nervous about what would come next. The musicians jam with BB King, family, & friends. So, this happened. Im on stage with BB Kings band, about 5 singer’s, & over 10 musicians all standing in line. Im standing right behind BB on his left side about 10 feet away. Basically, he could see me over his shoulder.

As the band is jamming, it get real busy as there is way too many musicians on stage wanting their moment. We all were just going ham to the point where BB King stopped everyone, and said, “ok guys...there’s too much going on. How about we slow down, & all take turns.” As everyone is soloing, Im up there in my over sized MC Hammer clothes which were probably my way taller than me twin brother’s old clothes, waiting my turn. While waiting, Im noticing everyone was killing it, but I was eager because I grew up in a competitive environment. My parent’s always taught my siblings, & I to seize every opportunity, & when my name was called, I did just that. Half way into my solo, I remember BB turning around, & looking at me with the craziest stank face. Then, after he turns back around, & my solo ends, he says with a mysterious look on his face to the crowd, “that young man is playing the blues, on a violin”. I was the only one on stage that night he gave a second solo.

After the night is over, & Im backstage packing up, I met a lot of BB’s family. One was trying to hook me up with her daughter. Finally BB makes his way back, and comes over to talk. He told me he thought I had something great going, and to keep growing. He also said he loved my sound, and expressed to me the importance of using my violin as a language. In his words, “It’s not about how many notes you play, but how you deliver the notes you play.” Those words stuck hard, & still do until this day. It would be those words that finally broke the stubbornness towards my mom wanting me to play more melody based music. It still is the most game changing moment of my career. It was that night, I left feeling like I could actually make a living doing this knowing I had a long way to go. This wasn’t the age of social media. I really had to get in the streets to make a name for myself.

The Second night, everything went crazy in awkward, & great ways. Great as in my mom, & best friend, Mira who was also my music mentor growing up, came in town to watch the show. Awkward as in, I was warned that next day by someone hanging around Steven Segal, I might not be jamming with him the second night. Apparently, Steven thought I over shadowed him the first night, and wanted nothing to do with me during his performance. That’s the first time in my young career, I’d experience something like that. It’s something I would learn throughout my career, no everyone is going to love you. Sometime’s your bright light might intimidate other’s. However, never dim it for anybody. You aren’t blessed without a purpose, so let your light shine. With that being said, it didn’t bother me that much because I was going on stage with BB King again with my mom, & Mira dead center front.

The second night was a ball. We jammed our sox off again. Before it was my turn to solo, BB king talks about me to the audience while mentioning the Chancellor of Vanderbilt University was at the show the night before, and offered me a full scholarship. BB King said he would have given everything for an opportunity like that when he was young. My mom, & I ended touring the school that next morning. Eventually, her, & Mira would leave to go back home that day. That same evening, I was invited back to BB Kings for an all star cast musicians jam.

Not that playing with BB King two nights in a row wasn’t enough, but getting invited to a jam session with some of the greatest musicians of all time, was an overjoying feeling. The moment I remember the most, going back, and forth with Kirk Whalum soloing for 2 songs. It was a moment I will never forget. We actually exchanged numbers that night. Funny thing, when I finally drove back home to Tallahassee, the next day, Kirk Whalum called. My mom flipped out when she saw his name on the caller ID. He left a voicemail wanting to know what my future plans were. At the club that night, he told me he thought I should go overseas, & play while noting he made a name for himself in France, In my older age, I totally understand why now. During my many years of traveling the world, the respect compared to America, at least for black men, is bar none. I didn’t completely understand then, but I do more than ever now. They treat us like royalty in a lot of countries, & we’re still fighting for equality in our own.

Going back home after Nashville, I was immediately inspired to turn my artistry, & talent’s into a business. That’s when I would start hustling beats, making cd’s out of my parent’s house, hosting club nights, performing for college events, and jamming at local bars.