Los Angeles... February 2005 - I'm mad as hell because I got flaked on and was stuck with 2 tickets to Meet The Brown's and I'm scrambling trying to find someone to go with, knowing damn well it's hard to get a date last minute in Cali! So I rush down to the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood in hopes of selling them at a discount rate because I had good seats! Man, it's so many damn people in line and all were lookin' mad excited to get seated and what not. Then my phone rings... yes! I have a date and she is just around the corner so most of the anger turns to relief and I just post up and wait for her to get there. I've never seen a Tyler Perry play ya'll... I didn't know what to expect. She arrives, we sit... we laugh... and laugh and WOW! This is some good acting and singing I'm witnessing.
But who's this tall guy playing the Dr. who's married to this young gorgeous woman played by Trina Braxton (Toni's sis)? He's the only one I haven't heard "sang". I bet he's not as good as these seasoned vocalist. Boy was I ever wrong! He's got the ladies screaming and and fanning as he begs his wife for forgiveness and crawls and... (I lose sight as the ladies stand and jump up and down in front of me).
It's Terrell Carter, a singer, songwriter and actor. I catch up with him after the play only to find him selling his cd and give him props for his performance. I didnt pick up the cd at that moment, but I did pick up a flyer and check out his site. As I look over his bio, I'm listening to a consistent soulful treat as song after song jogged my memories of life, love and the struggle of both. Terrell's latest CD entitled CARLELA's REIGN, takes you back to his childhood and brings you to his journey present, as he delivers words of encouragement and praise! I was finally able to catch him after he'd finished up touring with Tyler Perry and wrapping up work with his new play titled Why Good Girls Like Bad Boyz.
Fuze - Merry Christmas Terrell. What do you have planned man?
Terrell - NOTHING! I'm just going to relax and take some time off man. I worked so much this year that I'm just going to be by myself. I know it sounds bad but I'm going to be fine.
Fuze - No Buffalo trip this year?
Terrell - Nope. I'll be right here home in L.A. relaxin' man.
Fuze - Hmm... sounds like me! What about New Years? New Year's resolution?
Terrell - To take the same initiative and will I had this year and triple that. I have a new management team that's behind me and they have the same vision I have. So my New Year's resolution is to make sure that that sticks like glue.
Fuze - Good one man. So I heard you were being sought after by a few major labels but not trying to sign right now. How do you like being independent?
Terrell - LOVE IT! Independent for me has been a blessing because being that I'd been traveling with Tyler Perry put me in a position to meet a lot of different people and fans that probably would never get to hear my music if I were signed to a major. You know how the marketing of music goes. I've been fortunate enough to enjoy the success as an independent artist because of my exposure thru that. I mean, it has it's pros and cons but right now I enjoy the freedom of choice as far as recording the music I want and the people seem to really like me... so yeah.
Fuze - How many cd's is this for you?
Terrell - This is my third one but I consider it my second because the first one was more like a test to see if people would like it. It was cool. The second one was a lot of RnB and love songs but this one was more personal for me as you see I have a lot of my past written here and it's named after my mom who passed a few years back.
Fuze - When did you realize "Damn I can sing?".
Terrell - When I was 7. I used to be really shy to sing but I remember mocking singers on the radio and sounding just like them. Yeah, around that time I knew I had the talent but there was a time where I'd go back and listen to tapes of myself singing and it was a mess. I think it was after I met the Clark Sisters that I finally could grasp the concept.
Fuze - You play any instruments? I understand India Arie was giving you guitar lessons. What happened with that?
Terrell - I can play music in my home studio and what not but it's hard for me to play and sing at the same time. lol! It's coming along but I need to really take this guitar out with me. To be honest though, I'd rather stand up and sing. I do play keyboard but again, I can't play and sing. lol!
Fuze - I know your favorite song on your CD is BETTER THAN but what's your second favorite and why?
Terrell - GETTING OVER YOU, it's so cleverly written and has so many analogies like we fall down but we get back up and when one door closes another one opens. BUT... it throws a twist in there when it talks about the hallways between those two doors. I actually got that from a sermon I heard from a white pastor back when I was singing with Fred Hammond about 10 years ago. I thought it was such a profound message that I kept it with me and wrote about it
Fuze - Well another favorite of mine is THICK GIRL's! Not that I'm into girls bigger than me, but what's up with the song?
Terrell - :laughs: Actually, I wrote that song for Tamala Mann who plays Cora in Tyler’s shows. She'd lost so much weight... I think like 100 plus lbs and she's always been such a beautiful woman. She's got such high self-esteem so it was nothing like "that" but I looked at her story and a few others and thought it was long overdue that we haven't had a positive song about it. And that whole record... I consider it not inspiration but more positive than anything and the first time I performed it in a club was this Thanksgiving in Oklahoma... it went nuts!
Fuze - So I'm guessing you aren't as shallow as a lot of the ladies might think?
Terrell - No... No.. No...:laughs: I've been thru that whole "what you look like" phase but I just want to be with someone that can just love me unconditionally and not what I look like because I'm beyond a woman's looks when it comes to getting with her.
Fuze - How long have you been here in L.A. and how does it compare to Buffalo and Detroit?
Terrell - 7 years and they are NOTHING alike. I mean, the weather, the people and lifestyle out here is beautiful man. I'm just enjoying life so much better out here. Where are you from?
Fuze - I'm from Georgia...
Terrell - Oh well I know it's culture shock out here for you then! lol! Lot's of shallow people huh? :haha: I aint trying to take care of nobody unless it's the person I'm with. :haha:
Fuze - :laughs: You ain't got to tell me. What's up with the new play WHY GOOD GIRLS LIKE BAD BOYZ?
Terrell - Oh I play along side Taral Hicks (as her bf), Angie Stone and Charlie Wilson. I'm a good guy in that play and overall it was a wonderful show. I got to bond with Angie Stone and that's my girl. The show wasn't as long as Tyler Perry's thing which took me two years. This one was pretty short. But I loved it and of course you know I love Tyler's stuff too.
Fuze - Do you think MEET THE BROWNS really put "Terrell the Singer" out there?
Terrell - Yeah, for sure. I did class reunion and people didn't recognize me because I had a wave cap on. But I made sure after that that I looked the same in each play.
Fuze - Any movie or TV roles coming up? 
Terrell - We're at the table for some sitcoms and what not. Can't really talk about those though. :smiles:
Fuze - What about duets? I like the duet you have with India on here.
Terrell - Oh I love doing duets. I'd really love to do something with Beyonce, Angie Stone or Stevie Wonder.
Terrell - You know what... Stevie Wonder, Stevie Wonder! I been singing that MOON BLUE... that song is AMAZING to me!
Fuze - So you don't really like the state of RnB right now as far as new artist?
Terrell - I'm a singer’s singer. So I'm into singer singers... you know like Musiq, India, Rasaan Patterson... who's here tonight just to name a few. I have a whole wish list.
Fuze It's almost time for you to go on that stage bro. Any advice you want to give out to the next?
Terrell - Most definitely. Never give up on your dreams man. I've been told so many things like I'm too tall, I can't dance, I sing too good, I'm too skinny, I'm too this and that. And of course I changed most of those things only to find that today those things I didn't change are the things that people love about me the most. So you don't know... there is only one thing and that's someone's opinion and that's all it is. So hold on to your dreams and don't let people tell you that you don't fit into what they think are this or that category of music. It's like whatever man... if you've got it, you've got it.
QUESTIONS FROM FANS:
1. Why doesn't Terrell go by his first name?
Terrell - Damon is such a common name that I wanted something that is unique. Terrell has such a strong undertone to and feel it represents who I am now as a man.
2. What do his tats symbolize?
Terrell - The Tattoo on my right arm is a symbol I designed. I wanted something unique that represents me as an individual. It's sort of a mix between a musical footnote and the letter T. The tattoo on my stomach doesn't mean anything.
3. How old is he and when is his birthday?
Terrell - I like to leave a little bit of mystery so I don't divulge my age, but my birthday is August 14th.
- Mariesha Williams
Hey Fuze,
Beautifully written article. It was well worth the wait. Be Blessed
- Nicole Lawrence (Sang with Terrell at the show)
Terrell, Do you remember me telling you about this site during our phone converation? I'm glad to see it turn out positive and not the same as vc. Thank you for being the "real man" that you are and keeping it real. And a special thank you for wanting real true," I got you back love" instead of all eyecandy and a golddigger! , Love ya, and godspeed
- Cheryl Atandi
Click HERE to go to Terrell's official site and purchase his CD.
*All images were taken by Kawai Mathews and are the property of Terrell Carter. Used with his permission*