Southwest Soul Circuit Magazine - Fall 2012Southwest Soul Circuit Magazine - Fall 2012Southwest Soul Circuit Magazine - Fall 20122012 Tucson Meet Your Soul folk life festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Artist Spotlight: Kevin Keith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Business Development During Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

SWSC: Impacting Lives Through Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

SWSC Growing through Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

In My Key with Dr. VInterview with Kevin Hamilton

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In My Key with Dr. VInterview with recording artist Creasha

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Whatʼs Happening at Tucson Meet Your SOUL 2012 by Kevin Hamilton

What is Tucson Meet Yourself?

Tucson Meet Yourself, the Southwest’s largest folklife festival, returns Friday, Oct 12 through Sunday, Oct. 14. The 2012 festival will feature expanded programming with special themes and new events. There’s something for everyone—newcomers and

veteran attendees alike! This authentic and educational celebration of cultural communities and living traditions worldwide will feature ethnic foods, folk art, dance and other performances as it has in

years past. Favorites include food demonstrations, African American musical traditions stage, lowrider car show and folk artist demonstrations and sales. More than 100,000 people are expected to attend. Admission is free.

What is Tucson Meet Your SOUL?Tucson Meet Your SOUL was birthed 3 years ago from a partnership with Tucson Meet Yourself and the Southwest Soul

Circuit to celebrate African American culture, soul music and it’s impact on our communities. Tucson Meet Your SOUL is a celebration of the cultural heritage and traditions of Soul Music - America’s Music. During the Tucson Meet Yourself folklife festival 30 hours of music and special presentations take place on the Soul Stage in La Placita Village. Tucson

Meet Your SOUL 2012 Special Presentations showcase the cultural content of the African American culture during the Tucson Meet Yourself Folklife Festival. These thematic presentations feature the very best in entertainment and also

exude the core nature of what makes these art forms important to preserve.

•!Southwest Soul Circuit Soul Music Revue: A Cultural Look at the Traditions of Soul Music

Featuring various local artists, the SWSC Soul Music Revue is a 4 hour musical journey from the bluesy “Torch Songs” of the early 1900’s through the current re-emergence of modern Soul music. Short stories interspersed into the presentation

give festival participants the social insights to the various musical art forms.

• 2nd Annual Real Hip Hop Soirée

Following the tremendous success of its debut from last year, the 2nd Annual Real Hip Hop Soirée seeks to present the culturally rich aspects of the art form of Hip Hop music. Festival participants are treated to hearing the very best Hip Hop

music and Spoken Word that Tucson has to offer; performances is followed by a panel discussion which will consider Hip Hop’s trajectory from it’s humble beginnings as an authentic expression of community voice to it’s present state of commercial success and transformation.

• 2nd Annual “Tucson Gospel Explosion”

Gospel music has always been an important folk art since the emergence of people of African descent in America. The 2nd Annual “Tucson Gospel Explosion” will explore the various forms of African American sacred music from its roots as slave

songs, the father of modern gospel, to the present state of gospel music.

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The youngest son of a military family, Kevin Keith was born in Durham, North Carolina but left the south as a small child. He entered elementary school in Europe where he lived for 3 years but eventually grew up in Tucson, Arizona.

Kevin's introduction to music came at age 4 after seeing a guitarist on a children's television program. At that moment he knew that music was his passion and destiny.

He began studying guitar at age 8 and by his late teens added bass guitar, bass violin, piano and vocals to his repertoire. At age 17 he entered the University of Arizona majoring in music performance and composition and purchased his first Stick a year l a te r a f te r see ing the un ique instrument hanging on a wall in a local music store.

A restless young man, Kevin left college after only two years and began traveling with a club band touring Canada and the pacific northwest. It seemed the perfect solution at the time to hone his skills as a stage performer and multi instrumentalist.

Unfortunately, after only a year and a half of playing Stick, the instrument was stolen during a sound check and due to finances, Kevin was unable to purchase a replacement. After 4 years of non stop touring and a legal battle that dissolved the band, Kevin returned home to Tucson with little money, strained vocal cords and carpel tunnel syndrome in his right hand.

He continued to write music but returned to college, this time studying electronics which had been a long time hobby. He earned a degree in Electronic Engineering and with his new found knowledge, became a recording studio engineer and a repairman of technologies for the arts.

Kev in moved to Los Angeles , California and soon began working as

an aud io eng ineer and mus ic producer. At age 36 he purchased a new Stick and resumed his journey with the instrument but now as a seasoned music ian and audio professional in Los Angeles.

Today, Kevin writes music for Warner Brothers television and Universal Music Group. His music plays on over 50 national shows including "The Ellen Degeneres Show, Tyra, The Peoples Court, The Bachelor, MTV, VH1, ABC, CBS, NBC plus the History and Discovery channels.

As an audio engineer he records major label records and "A" list bands for live television performances. Kevin has worked with over 95 major acts including Taylor Swift, Nelly Furtado, Seal, Lionel Richie, Outkast and Ziggy Marley.A restless young man, Kevin left college after only two years and began traveling with a club band touring Canada and the pacific northwest. It seemed the perfect solution at the time to hone his skills as a stage performer and multi instrumentalist.

Unfortunately, after only a year and a half of playing Stick, the instrument was stolen during a sound check and due to finances, Kevin was unable to purchase a replacement. After 4 years of non stop touring and a legal battle that dissolved the band, Kevin returned home to Tucson with little money, strained vocal cords and carpel tunnel syndrome in his right hand.

He continued to write music but returned to college, this time studying electronics which had been a long time hobby. He earned a degree in Electronic Engineering and with his new found knowledge, became a recording studio engineer and a repairman of technologies for the arts.

Kev in moved to Los Angeles , California and soon began working as an aud io eng ineer and mus ic producer. At age 36 he purchased a

new Stick and resumed his journey with the instrument but now as a seasoned music ian and audio professional in Los Angeles.

Today, Kevin writes music for Warner Brothers television and Universal Music Group. His music plays on over 50 national shows including "The Ellen Degeneres Show, Tyra, The Peoples Court, The Bachelor, MTV, VH1, ABC, CBS, NBC plus the History and Discovery channels.

As an audio engineer he records major label records and "A" list bands for live television performances. Kevin has worked with over 95 major acts including Taylor Swift, Nelly Furtado, Seal, Lionel Richie, Outkast and Ziggy Marley.

As a Stick player Kevin releases independent records and has developed a worldwide following of thousands. In 2011 Kevin will do his first European tour as a Stick player and he continues to break new ground with this incredible instrument.

As a Stick player Kevin releases independent records and has developed a worldwide following of thousands. In 2011 Kevin will do his first European tour as a Stick player and he continues to break new ground with this incredible instrument. Kevin will be a featured artist in Tucson for the Soul Music Celebration at 2nd Saturday’s Downtown in 2013. This is a show you don’t want to miss.

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T h e M a nT h e M u s i cby Tanishia Hamilton

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It has always been my dream to own my own business. Doesn’t that sound just grand?!? My piece of the American pie that is mine and home grown with my own blood sweat and tears. Free to offer the services I believe meet the needs of an under served community. The Southwest Soul Circuit was born in Nov. 2006. The organization has had its share of ups and downs as any new business, but not shortly after we ‘opened our doors’ did we find that we needed to have efficient and effective operations in place to manage the business and its subsidiaries. We opened a commercial recording studio in the historic La Placita Village in downtown Tucson, AZ in 2009. As Chief Operations Officer of our organization, I’ve managed to make small strides towards putting various standard operating procedures in place that help manage delivering our product to the masses. In April 2012, Tucson began construction on its new modern street car which will connect various major neighborhoods in Tucson and subsequently will run right in front of our ‘door step’ at La Placita

Village. As the months waned on and the street closures became quite intrusive for us and other businesses in the downtown area, we as other businesses became extremely aware of the negative impact the construction was having on business. October 2012 marks the 7th month of construction and we’ve got a long way to go. Although I enjoy watching the progress of the street car project, I am reminded of the necessity to continue to keep our doors open because this is our livelihood regardless of the coming of the new street car. We were made aware of the business consulting services that were put in place specifically to service those in the path of the street car during the construction. The Southwest Soul Circuit has benefited greatly by the program. I’d like to share a few items I learned:

1. Day to day activities and projects should be viewed in an organic type way. First, identify the vision and goals of the project, conspire with others to join in who buy in to the vision, implement the plan, then most importantly close the project with a recap. I learned that the recap is a major piece to getting started with a project. The recap will allow you to plan for growth because you discover what worked and what needs to change.

2. Communication is the name of the game. As a project manager, my success is wrapped up in my ability to take responsibility for the project and how I hold myself accountable for its success. I learned that I must master the art of managing requests. I must make certain my request is clear, then listen closely to the response to my request. Managing requests allows the project to move forward in a timely fashion, meeting deadlines and dependencies.

3. Be creative in ways that keep people interested in your product/service. I must make certain I am creative in ways to keep the pipeline that runs between my potential client and our service offering full. A full pipeline of serious candidates is a major step towards an increase in my bottom line.

Thanks to the construction of the Tucson modern streetcar we are getting some welcomed training in operations, organizational development, and intra and extra personal skills to be better leaders and business owners. As it turns out, the construction is giving me an opportunity to assess myself and our business and make some improvements before Tucson’s downtown is booming and bustling again. Thank you Main Street Consulting for your support.

Business Development In Spite of the Constructionby Tanishia Hamilton

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The Southwest Soul Circuit is a music production business which specializes in producing live concerts, festivals, and studio recordings. Established in 2006 by Kevin & Tanishia Hamilton, Southwest Soul Circuit has produced over 30 major events with Grammy Award winning artists throughout our cores cities which include: Dallas, Albuquerque, El Paso, Sierra Vista (AZ), Tucson, Phoenix/Mesa, and San Diego. In 2008, SWSC received a national television credit as the Local Market Management firm for the NFL SUPER BOWL Gospel Celebration with Patti LaBelle, Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, Cece Winans, Donnie McClurkin and others during SUPER BOWL 42.

In 2009, Garden Level Studios re-opened its doors, and now serves as the headquarters for SWSC in downtown Tucson, Arizona. This facility has enabled SWSC to offer various services to the public. Professional services offer include music lessons, photography, videography, music production, commercial studio recording, voice-overs, and graphic design.

In 2010, SWSC developed a strategic plan which focused on creating key partnerships with community service organization throughout the Tucson/Southern Arizona community. Now, SWSC operates in conjunction with major social service and community service organization such as Access Tucson, the Tucson Urban League, TUSD, Sports X, KXCI Community Radio, Pima County, Tucson Parks & Recreation, 2nd Saturdays Downtown with over 12,000 attendees per month, and Tucson Meet Yourself with over 150,000 in attendance annually.

Southwest Soul Circuit also provides access to community youth through a strategic partnership with Garden Youth Development Project. GYDP provides quality, year-round youth development programs for kids 0 - 17 years old to help them learn life skills and subjects of academia. GYDP is a 501c3 through a strategic partnership with Tucson Youth Football and Spirit Federation.

MISSION: To uplift, inspire, and entertain the Southwest community by combining music and community service events.

www.SWSoulCircuit.com© 2012 C. Elliott Photographypage 10

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What is a partnership? A partnership is an arrangement where entities and/or individuals agree to cooperate to advance their interests. The Southwest Soul Circuit has determined that a key strategic move is partnering with other companies and organizations that possess similar values, goals, and vision. This synergistic approach to moving forward has made possible mutually beneficial relationships that ultimately enrich our communities. The mission of the Southwest Soul Circuit is to uplift, inspire, and entertain the Southwest community by combining music and community service. The equation is simple: a community cause + music = a more cohesive community e n v i r o n m e n t c o m p l e t e w i t h a celebration of cultural enrichment.

Arts organizations have historically operated in this way. Which is no surprise. The Southwest Soul Circuit h a s p a r t i c i p a t e d i n s o m e k e y partnerships to continue to serve our community.

1. One key partnership is with the FOX Tucson Theatre Foundation. In an effort to support the efforts of the Garden Youth Development Project, Inc. the Southwest Soul Circuit and the FOX Tucson Theatre Foundation p a r t n e r e d t o p r e s e n t t h e incomparable Roberta Flack LIVE in concert at the FOX Theatre.

Proceeds of the event went to support the community and the m i s s i o n o f G a r d e n Yo u t h D e v e l o p m e n t P r o j e c t , a n d introduced the FOX Tucson Theatre to future repeat show goers. In addition, ‘Soulful September’ kicked off with Music and a Movie featuring soulful tunes from 1967 from Kevin and Tanishia Hamilton and friends and movies - “To Sir With Love” and “In the Heat of the Night” starring Sidney Poitier. Organizations such as KXCI Tucson’s Community Radio Station and Wells Fargo participated as sponsors for the evening to show their support of the advancement of arts and culture.

2. In 2011, 2nd Saturdays downtown Tucson and Southwest Soul Circuit partnered to offer a new stage during the 2nd Saturdays downtown monthly urban street festival. The ‘Soul Music Celebration and 2nd Saturday’s Downtown” is now a mainstay at the festival with its home in La Placita Village Plaza and is the longest running soul music festival in the Southwest. The Soul Music Celebration provides a platform for up-and-coming Artists with themed series such as ‘Shining Star - We’ve Got Next Series’ and fosters a family f r i e n d l y e n v i r o n m e n t t h a t encourages cultural enrichment.

3. Tucson Meet Yourself is Tucson’s folklife festival that has been in existence for 39 years! Its mission is to research, document, interpret and present the living traditional arts and expressions of everyday life of the folk and ethnic communities of the multi-national Arizona-Sonora region. The Festival has partnered with the Southwest Soul Circuit to present Tucson Meet Your Soul - a celebration of cultural heritage through the traditions of soul music. Annually the Southwest Soul Circuit presents special presentations in the soul genre’s of hip hop, jazz, R&B, gospel and soul music, providing a culturally rich experience through the African American experience that birthed these genre’s. The festival brings over 100,000 people to downtown Tucson. Th is is partnering at its best.

The Southwest Soul Circuit has partnered with Tucson Parks and Recreation KIDCO program, Joey Rodgers’ Dancing in the Streets, TEP and United Way Days of Caring, Boy’s and Girls’ Club, Access Tucson, Chapman Automotive Group and many more. Gaining key partnerships will continue to be a strategic approach for the Southwest Soul Circuit. We’ve learned that we must build this community one relationship at a time.

SWSC Partnerships by Tanishia Hamilton

Richard Elías, Pima County Board of Supervisors, District 5 and staff. From left to right: Hope Cramer, Andres Cano, Richard ElîasKeith Bagwell and Evangelina Quihuis. Supervisor Elías and staff have been a great support to SWSC and GYDP programs.

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InMyKey with DrV: Kevin, you started performing before you could write your name in cursive, right!KEVIN: Yes, when I was 5, I remember singing in a pre-school talent show, I loved the Candy Man song! Being from Dallas, the southern cultural hub for African American Arts, outside of New York, I was exposed at an early age to so many talented artists. At 8 or 9, Esther Rolle from Good Times came to Dallas through a program called the Black Academy of Arts in Letters. I was introduced to Curtis King, he brought plays, with artists from Magnum P.I.

InMyKey with DrV: What did music and the exposure to the arts do for your personally at such a young age?KEVIN: Music helped me deal with my issues growing up, a stressful household and living in an urban community. Dealing with those artists made me feel like it was okay to be an artist and singer at that. I utilized the music to help heal me. The role models validated me as a singer.

InMyKey with DrV: Tell us more about the earlier years! KEVIN: In 1986, my junior year in high school I attended a prestigious performing arts school. I was failing classes prior to starting the academy, after successfully interviewing, they asked me what about my grades? I really wanted to attend this school, so I put forth the extra effort to get in and staying there was my incentive to pass all my classes, and I did. I wanted nothing more than to have the chance to sing. If I failed my classes, I would have to quit. Singing was just that important to me. The constant exposure to the best in the industry was incredible.

I entered the air force after high school, I was able to sing through basic training, and was offered continued opportunities throughout basic and tech training. With my first overseas tour, additional doors opened up in Okinawa, Japan (Kadena Air Force Base). I learned to play piano in front of 400-500 people, playing every week. I didn't take piano lessons until I was 27 years old, in 2007, attending a college in Nashville, I took 2 years of piano. Ten years later.

InMyKey with DrV: So what did you do?KEVIN: In 1994, I got out of the military, and attended a historically black college or university (HBCU) in Nashville, Tennessee - Tennessee State University. By that time I was married with two children, it was a leap of faith. Tennessee State was my first collegiate level training. I was a sponge. I wanted to learn everything about music, from classical to jazz and overall general musicianship. There I met a great mentor, Darryl Glenn Nettles, Head of the Vocal Chorale Studies. He believed in me and allowed me to do things that most students wouldn't dare do. He made me the Assistant Choir Director of the University Choir, which was a pretty big thing. Mr. Nettles allowed me to teach the choir a couple of gospel songs. This would be a first, with the contingency that I charted everything out. He pushed me to do more, bigger and better, and I appreciated that. I was an older student, that kinda of pushing for me was more psychological, he kept saying "the sky is the limit." He opened opportunities to me that I never thought I could get, and I would make the best out of those opportunities.

InMyKey with DrV: Sounds like you were on a destiny road!KEVIN: After college, I transferred from Tennessee State to UofA, culture shock set in! My strong church community was gone! The Performing Arts community was gone! In Nashville, I played for prestigious churches and venues in gospel music, such as Teresa Hairston, the founder and publisher for Gospel Today Magazine. She was Hezekiah Walker's first producer. She and T. D. Jakes do the Gospel Heritage Festival in Dallas, which is pretty amazing.

InMyKey with DrV: I can tell that you and Tanishia are both passionate about what you are doing and you are seen always building on your spiritual roots. What else did it take to bring the vision to pass?KEVIN: We had to sort out roles in the business and be able to fulfill them. Tanishia came from the corporate world. She was just gifted with an extraordinary voice as well, but had never produced a show, and I had never been in her role, as manager. I had to learn to be a leader, and Tanishia had to learn how to hustle and pull things together. The difference between an entrepreneur versus being in the corporate world, strategic planning to tactical execution, we both had to learn.

InMyKey with DrV: What is the most profound thing you have learned about yourself in light of your vision for the business. KEVIN: I am a creative person, out-of-the-box thinker, I am the person that asks what if? In business you have to hone your skills as a businessperson. Embrace discipline, sound business practice and temper creativity with feasibility. Being the President and CEO, making decisions that are prudent for the business is different from being an artist. I had to learn how to take one hat off and put the other one on.

InMyKey with DrV: If you were to score yourself based on your vision of what you wanted to do with the business, versus what you have accomplished, what would it be?KEVIN: God gave it. I cannot score what He has and is doing. He is doing something awesome with us each and every opportunity He gives us to share our gifts. God had cleared up our vision and made it bigger and more impactful than I ever thought it would be. Its hard for me to take credit for it, I think that nothing has changed from what God was trying to do, except we have changed, we have gained some wisdom and some appreciation for looking adversity in the face and saying, God will make a way, let's keep doing what He called us to do. I am really happy about what the Southwest Soul Circuit (SWSC) is blossoming into. It's mission is to uplift, inspire and entertain our community.

For the full InMyKey with DrV interview visit www.iSoulRadio.com

Interview with Kevin Hamilton, Co-owner of Southwest Soul Circuit

When Kevin was 5 years old, he remembers singing for a pre-school talent show, he did the Candy Man song, always had a natural ability to sing. Then again at 12 years old he started singing in the Church choir, the other musicians liked the way he sang, soon after that he ended up singing with the 600 voice Youth for Christ choir. By the time he was 14, Kevin was a featured soloist or lead singer for various citywide events and concerts.

In My Key with DrVby Dr. Verlean Hailey

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KEVIN HAMILTON, President/CEO/Music DirectorSouthwest Soul Circuit LLC

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Valerie Pauline Tanishia Marcus Brandie

Yvette Shana Tomia Randy Kevin

Creasha Randall, born in Columbus, Ohio on January 24 (she ain't telling her age), a proud veteran who served our country, is also the proud mother of Jre'Shawn and LaVendar, employed in the VA medical center and gives her passionate time, talent and skills not only as an Independent Gospel recording artist but also lends her voice to VenjrÈsha's Harvest, a music entertainment company which advocates for women’s issues, general health, wellness, and advances in fibromyalgia treatment. Simply Creasha, her first debut album provides a mix of inspirational lyrics with jazz, soul and gospel that take you on a journey from trials to triumph with such titles as "Help Me To See The Way, I Believe - Help My Unbelief, and my favorite one New Day Dawning" (you can sample before you buy at www.cdbaby.com) But for now, let's just ask Creasha some personal questions about her "Own Key"......

For the full InMyKey with DrV interview visit www.iSoulRadio.com

InMyKey completed this interview with Creasha Randall and I can truly say, I was left inspired and motivated to return to the studio and release what's been stirring on the inside of me, "In My Own Key." When I asked Creasha how would she describe the season she has just experienced she said. "An Appreciation" - I've gone through a lot of trauma, a lot of different things in my life. If the apologies that I received recently had been given to me then, I would not have appreciated them back then, I wouldn't have been able to receive it like I do now. Earlier this year I received some apologies and I truly appreciated them with a "forgiven heart."

InMyKey, a pre-introduction of Creasha Randall in my own words, the artist, psalmist, songbird of "Simply Creasha" is within herself, an intimate experience, fearlessly shared with the world, flashes of her own pain, disdain, and healing joy....drama, trauma, triumph... A soulish release, the price of her present peace. Thank You Lord, You Set Her Free!

In My Key with DrV: Interview Creasha Randall by Dr. Verlean Hailey

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