My Voice Is My Instrument…

TMarvin Williams was born as the youngest of eight siblings – six sisters and one brother – in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania. At a young age, TMarvin was bitten by the entertainment bug and hasn’t looked back since. From a class clown to a man who uses his voice as his main instrument to make the ladies swoon, the evolution over the decades has been tremendous and spanned the entire continental United States. TMarvin is setup to do amazing things, are you ready to witness it for yourself?

Of all his siblings, TMarvin was the family superstar, practicing early by performing at all of his large family gatherings before the age of ten. TMarvin grew up feeling comfortable in front of a crowd, always eager to test out a new dance move or lip sync to the latest songs from Michael Jackson or Billy Ocean that were playing on the radio. He may have gotten his talent from his dad’s side of the family, but his mom encouraged him during his formative years and beyond. She was his number one fan and had been a big supporter of her little star, it was obvious that he was a natural and would one day perform on a real stage in front of strangers. Home wasn’t the only place he shined bright, TMarvin can recall the spotlight focused on him in the classroom. By the third grade, he knew he wanted to be famous and was willing to do anything for attention to get him there. He even welcomed the label “class clown” for two years because he thought it might pave his way to success. TMarvin relished the attention from his classmates and was ready to perform at the drop of a hat, taking any and every opportunity, inside and outside of the classroom. If his teacher turned to write on the chalkboard, he would pop out of his seat and spin in the isle as though he were Michael Jackson in the “Billie Jean” video. She must have been his second biggest fan. Instead of reprimanding him, she recommended that he channel his talent and perform at the school’s Talent Show at the end of the year. Welcoming the challenge and any excuse to be up on stage, he performed his favorite routine and dressed the part, with his zipper-embellished red leather jacket, a white t-shirt, a pair of black highwater pants and a pair of white Pro-Keds.

Throughout his Jr. High School and High School years, TMarvin chose to stay out of trouble, following a different path from many of his peers, focusing mainly on his art. Michael Jackson was his artistic inspiration, anytime one of his songs or performances were on the air, TMarvin watched, listened and tried to capture and imitate the artistry and chemistry that emanated. He continued his education on a larger scale, expanding to a host of other great entertainers emulating their dance moves, their mannerisms and the way they commanded the stage. As an excuse to perform on stage, he would enlist in the annual Edward Hand Jr. High School talent show and take home the top prize, each and every time. His peers went crazy seeing him embody the artist, in that TMarvin special way. Throughout his years at J. P. McCaskey High School, he continued to be well received by his classmates. It wasn’t until his senior year that he discovered his voice. He was dancing and lip syncing to Bobbi Brown’s, “My Prerogative,” when the music suddenly stopped. He remained poised, confident and continued singing as if nothing happened. Turns out, he had been singing all along, but all of a sudden everyone else could hear him and his newly revealed voice. They liked what they heard and from that day forward, TMarvin found his instrument in his voice.

Growing up in a single parent home with seven siblings was a struggle. The opportunities to grow and develop his talent comparable to other kids with similar abilities were not there. He could not afford to pay for a voice teacher or music lessons, his talent was purely natural and self taught. He was raised to persevere and his circumstances instilled in him a strong work ethic in order to ensure success. Upon discovering his voice, he soon thereafter joined both his High School and Church Gospel Choirs. Before his career had a chance to develop, TMarvin became a father to a beautiful baby girl. He worked various jobs to make ends meet to provide a complete and comfortable life for his daughter, she was his world, alongside his music. When she was a baby, he would sing her to sleep every night and sing to wake her up every morning. As she grew up, he took advantage of any gigs and openings that came his way, often traveling back and forth between Staten Island and NYC to perform during the early nineties. During his travels, he connected with Charles “Mercury” Nelson, a former member of the popular eighties R&B group called the Force MDs. Mercury took in TMarvin under his wing to guide him professionally and they fostered a strong personal friendship. They started producing music and collaborating with other musicians and entertainers, including recording a Christmas jingle for Hot 97, the biggest radio station in New York City. Things were looking up for TMarvin’s career until the sudden passing of Charles “Mercury” Nelson. After losing his close friend and mentor, TMarvin returned home to Lancaster to regroup and reassess his next steps.

In 1999, TMarvin moved out to Los Angeles, California, with his cousin, James Stephens III, a comedian. Stephens pursued TMarvin to attempt a singing career on the West Coast through his established connections. Stephens invited TMarvin to be a part of one of his performances for the Ronald McDonald House charities in Chicago, Illinois. He sang for Michael Jordan and sang background for Garth Brooks. After the destruction of the World Trade Center, TMarvin moved back to the East Coast and started reconnecting with people from NY. He took advantage of NYC’s unofficial performance venues. A day didn’t pass without hearing him sing on the streets of New York, in the City Subway or on the Staten Island Ferry. TMarvin was able to make a pretty decent living. He toured all over the United States with other legendary groups such as The Delfonics, The Stylistics, Heatwave, The Chi-Lites, The Temptations, and The Shooters. By showcasing his voice, he caught the attention of several well known artists along the way. Ghostface Killah from the rap group, Wu-Tang Clan, saw him singing in the projects of Staten Island and included him in some video shoots. Kirk “Milk Dee” Robinson from the rap group, Audio Two, heard his voice while performing in a local barber shop/beauty salon in Staten Island. At the time, Milk Dee was working with a singer by the name of Eamon, who later on went on to sell six million records and when he toured Europe, he brought TMarvin to sing backup.

The following year, 2004 was a whirlwind roller coaster for TMarvin, he lost his mother to cancer that year. The loss of his mom, his number one fan was a huge blow, but he vowed that he would make her proud as she watched from Heaven. He worked on his craft more than ever, didn’t stop pushing the envelope and pursuing his dreams. That same year he signed a contract with Milk Dee and went on to record an album in which TMarvin wrote the lyrics to four songs, “All I Ever Wanted”, “Changes”, “If You’re Feeling Me” and “Shook Up”, along with contributing lyrics to the outro of “Kinky.” While making the album, TMarvin was discovered by the legendary R&B group, The Persuaders, with hit songs “It’s a Thin Line Between Love and Hate”, “Love Is Going To Pack Up” and “Some Guys Have All the Luck” and to this day, he continues to tour with them nationally and internationally. They perform their cover songs from years ago and sometimes throw in songs from other artists like Luther Vandross’ “Superstar” or R. Kelly’s “When a Woman Loves.” Today, you may likely find him singing the National Anthem for baseball, football or basketball games, performing on stage or writing songs for himself and other upcoming artists. TMarvin’s performance style and voice is a unique blend of Michael Jackson, R. Kelly, Jodeci, Dru Hill, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and most important ingredient, TMarvin.

TMarvin has embarked on several solo projects, including “Now That I Love You” and “Body and Soul” and continues to perform as an active member of The Persuaders. TMarvin’s favorite part of performing with the Persuaders is making everyone in the audience feel good.

“I love their reaction. I love to see their facial expressions. I love when they get up from their seats because a song takes over their body and spirit. I get a thrill every time, just by being on that stage and entertaining diehard fans or someone hearing me for the first time. It’s like magic!”

Stopping is not in his vocabulary, so what should we expect from TMarvin in the coming years? When thinking about the future and his music, he plans to continue performing at shows along with The Persuaders, as well as working on his own music and shows. He will continue to record new tracks in studio and is currently in the process of selecting a producer. He is actively testing some songs and making adjustments to better resonate with the younger generation. Music has changed a lot over the years, it is nothing like how it was back in the nineties. He is also working with with James Stephens III to recreate some of their earlier released songs that are TMarvin’s favorite to perform live, “A Little Bit of Magic”, “Part Time Freak” and “Players Way.” He would love to revamp those songs with the way his voice is now and bring them to the standards of today. Not only has the industry changed, so has TMarvin as a singer, songwriter and performer.

“I continue to adjust my unique blend of R&B, Blues, Pop and Gospel with a High Tenor pitch incorporating them to the new music trends of today. The key is not to stay trapped in a box, but continuously push myself, my music, my voice and my boundaries as far as they can go, then push some more. As the music moves through time, I make sure to move along with it.”