Neyla: A Singer-Songwriter Takes the World By Storm

Neyla is cute and charming - she is immensely popular and well-liked by all those around her. She is bubbly and vivacious, she is the life of the party and everyone wants to be like her. Her songs are fabulos too.  

Antonella Paracolli, AKA singer-songwriter and recording artist, Neyla, was born on June 2, 1984 in Naples, Italy. 

Neyla's father worked hard outside the home and his wife was a devoted stay-at-home mother. Neyla’s three older brothers grew up to become hard workers just like their father. So Neyla worked equally hard to meet or beat the high standards expected by both of her parents and family members. In fact, she developed an affinity for music appreciation.

For example, during early childhood, Neyla picked up and played around on various musical instruments such as the cithara and saxophone. During adolescence, she kept up with trends in the music business by reading every section in a newspaper or magazine that she could get her hands on.

She made it a point to cut out sections from those articles and complied them into a professional reference catalog. Equally important, she backed up her affinity for music by taking several scholastic courses throughout her lifetime.

As a result of her courses in vocal music, Neyla aspired to become like Ella Fitzgerald, Patti Labelle, Billy Holiday, Dionne Warwick, Miss Elliot, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, among others.  As a result of attending a superior performing arts school, there were also opportunities to perform as an actor in the theater.  

This school of performing arts kept Neyla’s creative juices flowing. In fact, by age thirteen, Neyla was singing and writing songs proficiently. By age sixteen she was seeking out an agency that would allow her to travel as part of a touring group. A good agency is what would allow Neyla to develop the showmanship skills of a companion-singer.

Of course, Neyla’s family truly understood the path that she wanted to follow. And so, she was allowed to work with a talent agency of her choice at a young age. As a result, Neyla participated in regional and national contests and the audience always received her with deep appreciation for her voice and unique interpretation of songs.

Neyla’s participation with one agency led to an important meeting in 2005 with producer Marco Camasso, who believed she had a true gift as a singer-songwriter. Soon after this meeting, Neyla would sign a recording deal with Camasso's label --- MC Music. Their collaboration churned out Neyla’s first spicy hot music project.

The following link provides you with one selection from Neyla's current CD.

Marcus Reed --- Singer, Songwriter, Producer, and Recording Artist

From the Right: Marcus Reed, Tony Reed, And David Fullerton

Marcus Reed is one of the most talented vocalist I have ever known.  

In fact, the gospel music riffs he learned at a tender young age are easily recognizable. That is because he attended a good church whereby his devoted Momma raised him, three bothers, and a sister righteously. 

The Name of that church is The Full Gospel Tabernacle where the Reverend Al Green pastors.

Al Green was Marcus' first mentor.  

How did I come to know all this you ask?

Well --- I met Marcus and his brother Tony (T-Bone) at Al Greens church when Marcus was 15 years old.

My Daddy had told me that Al Green was seeking a male vocalist to help form a new gospel music group. The following Sunday, I went over to Pastor Greens church, which  was only a few blocks away from my home.

On that same day, I heard Marcus singing with the Church Choir --- the song was "Walk Around" done with all the flair of a young Michael Jackson. 

Next thing I know --- me, Marcus, and Tony were singing together from then on out. 

It was great, especially since we lived on opposite ends of the street from each other.  

I also discovered a school Marcus had been attending and decided to go there too. The name of this school is Watkins Overton High School of Performing Arts. Both me and Marcus graduated from Overton.

The school was famous for its vocal music program. This CAPA program was headed by Dr. Lulah Hedgeman, who was a Walt Disney award wining vocal instructor. 

So you see, I do know Marcus' history, but do not expect all the facts to be straight because they do not all come from his point of view --- and that is alright as far as I am concerned.

In fact, this is just another way of picking on Marcus the way I use to do. You see --- me and Tony use to really lay into Marcus about his dance moves being off-step, when we knew each step was perfectly fine.

However, we thought Marcus would become self-conscious and screw up if he were under a lot of pressure. He did screw up and at the expense of our laughter. After a while, Marcus overlooked us and became a better man.  

Of course --- one does not become better without dedication.

Marcus and I got up at 4 AM to get ready to catch a 5 AM public transit bus that took us across town to Overton, a one hour trip each way. 

Between school and home, we spent at least five hours each day singing and rehearsing for various events and Tony joined in with us as a vocalist and dance instructor.       

Now this is what you call dedication to creativity. 

In addition, we always surrounded ourselves with famous people from all over the world. Some of these famous people graduated from Overton the same as us, like Wendy Moten, Elise Neal, Kevin Paige, and Orlando Draper. 

Today, Marcus is rather happy with his life. For example, he has been gigging with BIg City, a band from out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has also released a rap song “Mr. July” with Jacob Ladda in 2010. At first, the song appears to be a mere day-at-the-park summer song.

There is no talk of drugs, no over the top hutchie-momma clothing styles, hip-thrusting dance moves, or women acting like pure gangster hoes as most people might expect when compared to other songs in the same gentry of music.

One might come to this single conclusion: this is a thrilling summer-time classic despite it’s extremely mild and well behaved production; perhaps reaching a predestined turning point that will move people away from listening to those traditional hip-hop and rap artist whose predicaments are coined by a thuggish lifestyle.

In which case, Ladda and Reed provide an overhaul of rap and hip-hop, as we have never known it before or since.  And for many people, this might be one of the most refreshing changes to the gentry in over 20 years.

It is a wait and see turn of events, as Ladda and Reed are gearing up to drop the next few mixes for themselves and other artist.

I for one look forward to this and hope you enjoy it too.  

Jacob Ladda (feat. Marcus Reed) - Mr. July from Jacob Ladda on Vimeo.

MediaShift . 4 Insights on the Future of the Music Industry | PBS

If one is in the music business, it pays to keep up with what's going on. I do this by setting up alerts on google. To illustrate, this alert came to me about MediaShift. Read the MediaShift blog and view the video content to inform yourself and to stay current with what a Music Manager needs to know. The video portion is hilarious!

MediaShift . 4 Insights on the Future of the Music Industry | PBS

Memphis, TN --- Deborah Gleese Barnes Pays Me A Visit

Ray Charles singer, Deborah Barnes, stopped by to visit with me at my downtown Memphis home and we talked for hours.

As always, she is humble about her multiple octave voice.




In fact, she caused me to remember one of the first concerts that I ever attended, which was held at the Memphis Cook Convention Center.

I was on a third grade field trip with my classmates to see a car show. 



Ray Charles was on stage singing for the car show and he was absolutely fabulous!

"I will be a singer one day too", I kept telling myself.



Anyway, nothing pleases me more than having one of the Raelettes come visit me. 



Deborah Barnes, has since turned her talents to singing some of the best Gospel music you will ever hear. 



Her voice still penetrates deep into one's heart and soul. 



Next time she comes by I might have more time to record a song or two with her.



She is certainly a busy bee with her husband Duke. 



In fact, their whole family is making themselves available to travel the whole world as professional entertainers. 





In this Video, Duke and Deborah Barnes were singing one of their 

first hits "God Will Take Care of You"