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To play songs from the Roxy cd click here ROXY-T
Although born a bit premature (1 pound 3 ounces.), there's nothing
premature now about the singer/songwriter Roxy Nichole Travis. Since coming into this world on April 1st. 1987 by way of my
loving parents Louvenia Travis & Larry Oby, I have been paving a way to find my place in the Music industry. I grew up
in Tallulah, which is a small town in Louisiana. From age's five to nine, I was a dancer; however, I realized that I could
sing at age seven & decided that I wanted to be a singer at the age of eight. I joined an organization called Lafamille
( French for "The Family")in the second grade. This organization was put back together by four women who were veterans of
this organization. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Smith, suggested that I join Lafamille ( Luh-fam-lee-yae). We "Lafamille"
performed every chance we got. At churches, school programs, and including nursing homes. Every year we had an Extravaganza
where we went to compete in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. These years of my life were fun, influential, and knowledgeable. When
I hit Junior High School in the sixth grade, I was noticed by a talented music teacher named Mr. Watson. Being that I was
only in the sixth grade, I was not allowed to take Mr. Watson's music class. Only seventh and eight graders could take Mr.
Watson's class. Fortunately, I would still go to Mr. Watson's class room to practice songs for school programs that Mr. Watson
wanted me to sing for. The very first time I performed at my junior high school, I was super nervous because I was always
use to singing and performing with the other members of Lafamille. I was not use to being solo. The song I performed was titled
" Wind Beneath My Wings". I did well up until I unexpectedly took a big, loud gulp on the mic and everyone heard me. Luckily,
I kept singing and no one really made a big deal about it. No one really knew what the loud noise was.
I was so happy when it was over because my hands were sweaty and
my legs were shaky. After a while, I was performing more and more and I kind of got use to it. At the end of my sixth grade
year, I was rewarded with a certificate for outstanding achievement in music; however, I didn't take Mr. Watson's choir class,
so the fact that I didn't take the class made the certificate very valuable to me. The award made me feel special because
I was the only sixth grader to get an award. My first recording session was in the seventh grade. I was motivated by a boys
group from my home town, who managed to get one of their songs on the radio. Because of the fact that I lived in a small town,
I didn't really try to pursue my dream because I thought that it would be a waste of time. Before I recorded my first song,
I use to watch television and cry. The reason being was I saw other young artist on television that I thought I could do better
than. Seeing kids my age on television made me ask myself questions like: Why can't I live in the city? Why couldn't I be
born to a rich and famous family? I didn't like the life that I was living. Even though I had everything I needed and some
of the things I wanted, I wanted more. I wanted to live in the city, and I wanted to be rich. I felt that someone had made
a mistake and put me in the wrong place, and I felt that I was living the wrong life. I later learned that whether bad or
good, all things happen for a reason. After I heard the local talent on the radio, I was highly motivated because I figured
if they can do it, I can too. I grabbed a Monroe, Louisiana phonebook and looked in the yellow pages. I looked under different
titles concerning record companies, record labels, recording studios etc. I called almost every number. I called one recording
studio named " Diamond Recordings," and the answering machine came on. I hung up the phone, wrote down what I wanted to say,
practiced what I wanted to say, called the number again, and then I left the message. A man named Mr. Diamond called back
later that night. He said that I caught his ear because I was so young, and I sounded determined.
Mr. Diamond usually didn't work with young people, but since I sounded
so determined, he called me back. I was so happy and excited when he called that I couldn't stop smiling and my heart was
racing. At that age, I really didn't understand the music business. Mr. Diamond was a man who just recorded people. He worked
hard to put his studio together. Mr. Diamond was and is a very nice, smart, wise and intelligent man. He introduced me to
a man named Charles A*K*A Keyo. Keyo was a beat maker and a songwriter. He wrote and produced the first song I ever recorded
titled " You Are The Only One." Everyone in my family sacrificed for me to go back and forth to that studio. My mother, father,
sister, and brother were a big help during that time and they still are. That same year, which was my seventh grade year,
I went to three other different studios. Through this time I won a couple of talent shows. There was one studio in my hometown
called " Swamp House Records", which was owned by a man named Mr. Branch. Mr. Branch was apart of many things. He and my mother
were co-workers at McCall High School, which is one of the high schools in my hometown. Mr. Branch had many artists under
his record label. Mr. Branch put together a compilation album. That was when I recorded my second song titled "Wanna Be".
I also featured on other peoples songs for the first time. The artists under the Swamp House Record label had a show and Mr.
Branch invited a record label from Fort worth, Texas to perform at our show. This record label was called Voodoo Records.
I was acquainted with the artists from the other record label. I met artists named Moet, Alize, Hennessey, Killa Dave, Josh,
and J-Way. Later on Swamp House Records fell off. Another studio I went to was called Stargate Records, which was located
in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Vicksburg was like thirty minutes from my hometown. My next door neighbor, at the time, named Tish
was a singer. She had graduated in the same class as my sister. During this time, she and Aaliyah(R.I.P.) were my idols. I
wanted to be just like them. Tish reminded me of Aaliyah. One day, she took me to the studio with her. I sang for a man named
Sherman, who was Tish' s manager at the time. Tish had performed at many places and had won talent shows. Tish had a song
on the radio at that time. I also recorded at Stargate Records. Only this time, I recorded my singing for a wedding. So far
I have sung at five weddings. I also went to a studio in Las Vegas, Nevada called Train Records. Every year, I used to visit
Las Vegas, Nevada for a family reunion. My aunt Maria was working at this studio called Train Records, and Maria told me that
she would take me there so that I could meet the man who owned the whole business. I went there once, and I met an upcoming
artist, who later appeared on Lisa " Lefteye" Lopes' (R.I.P.) show called "The Cut." The upcoming artist that I met in Las
Vegas name was Mya Williams. Mya Williams was very nice, and she sang like a bird. I have been in many talent shows. Mr. Watson
is still my music teacher. He teaches part time a the Junior High School, and he teaches part time at the High School I attend
in Tallulah, Louisiana. Sometimes, when I feel that I can't hit a note, or sometimes, when I feel like something is not going
to work. Mr. Watson always tell me " You can do it, and you will do it." I realized that he has worked with me long enough
to know what I can do and what I can't do.
I am kind of his protégé' because everytime there is a last minute
thing going, I am the one he calls on about 85% of the time. I remember when I did a duet with a guy at the local community
center. The principal of the high school, at that time, was there. After the duet, Mr. Adell Williams ( the principal of the
high school) stopped me as I was walking to my seat and gave me ten dollars. I was so shocked because he didn't' give the
guy that I did the duet with anything. I was in Junior High School back then. My ninth grade year, I had a "manager" named
Nickel G. of Jackson Mississippi. Nick made a lot of promises that he didn't fulfill. Me, not knowing much about the business
and willing to take anything, I learned a lot about snakes in this business. I have a cousin, who had hidden talent that I
never knew about. When I was a freshman in high school, he was a senior in high school. My cousin's name is Harold Johnson,
III. He was a popular basketball player, a ladies man, and he was also great in academics. Harold is now known as Amazin'
because that is exactly what he is when it comes to making beats. I didn't't know Amazin' had it in him until a year after
he graduated from high school. Harold's father Harold Jr., who is the CEO of Voodoo Records in Fort worth, Texas put me on
his record label after I showed him what I could do. And, here I am. . . To be continued. Copyright © 2003 Voodoo Records
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