The author was fired from a popular R&B/Motown/wedding band after 5 months of performing with them. He felt that the co-lead vocalist was threatened by him and played a major role in his departure, despite the author expanding the band's fan base and profile. In the months leading up to being fired, the author had several uncomfortable interactions with band members, including the co-lead vocalist confronting him aggressively after a show. The author believes he was fired due to resentment of the attention he received rather than his musical talents. While upset by how he was treated and fired, the author is optimistic about continuing his career with his own band.

1. A VIEW FROM THE MIKE
ON THE CONTRARY, I WAS FIRED
A few days ago, friends to a place where there was
live music, an outdoor venue where I had performed
on occasion, invited me. Unfortunately, the featured
band was a band I worked with as recently as 5
months ago. Needless to say, I felt very uncomfortable
and left after an hour. None of them saw me, and to be
quite honest, I don’t want to be in the same room with
most of them; Let me explain…
Back in late February, I entered a local club with
my band, MDIII, to perform a Black History R&B and
funk show, kickin’ the old jams that people don’t hear
much of on the scene, a month after being fired by a
very popular area R&B/Motown/Wedding/Corporate
band. One of the first people I saw was the bass player
for this band, who attempted to get my attention. I
proceeded to ignore him, and for good reason; he
questioned my presence in the band from the start, as
well as my talent, and in the end, played a major role
in my departure. Besides, I had work to do, and I
needed no distractions.
The co-lead vocalist, who brought me in, was the
lead voice in taking me out, issuing an ultimatum,
which swayed some others, I’m sure. This was not
about talent, as my addition significantly improved
this band, expanded the fan base, and generated more
gigs, some that I got on my own, doing major legwork.
I already had a solid reputation. My journalistic
background was also a major plus in improving the
band’s profile, with them winning a major award for

2. best band in its category, as well as bringing them a
presence in my hometown, which is big time urban,
and introducing them to MY friends, MY people.
There were many pluses here at the initial. I met
some really nice people who now support all that I do
musically, the band was energetic, it kept my vocal
chops sharp, and the attention was nice. They had a
big following before me, and it doubled in the 2 plus
years I was there, a huge e-mail and fans in many
parts of Connecticut. The leader of the band was a
good cat, someone I respected who shared some of my
opinions on improving the product. Sadly those views
were swallowed up by factors that had very little to do
with music. For me, it was about keeping things fresh,
doing tunes that other bands don’t do. In the end,
that’s not what happened. I certainly did not want to
change things, just augment what could only get
better. I did not want to be the man or the top dog; it
was all about adding my talents. The co-lead vocalist
felt threatened, but since he was the face on the band,
he shouldn’t have been. I don’t do what he does, as a
performer or singer, and in most cases, I won’t and
can’t do what he does. Fellow BLACKPOWER writer
Carl Elliott, who has seen this band many times, told
me he hates ‘Billie Jean’ now, for it reminds him of
this band, and the other brother singing it, loll. It’s
safe to say, I won’t be singing it.
In the months leading up to this, I was censored by
the bandleader for making a factual comment on face
book about Christopher Columbus [we played in the
Columbus Day parade, in my hometown, and he
wanted me to not play because of it], the other singer

3. tried to bait me into a fight on 2 occasions, as well as
an email from him that suggested that I leave the band
if I didn’t listen to what he had to say. This led to a
silly meeting called, in part about attention that I got
from a woman that another band member was
checking out, hell I wasn’t trying to get at her, I have a
woman at home, and in this business, you don’t have
to say much to attract the ladies. This led to them
banning me from dancing with the ladies, which I had
no problem with, something that was encouraged in
the beginning, consequently becoming part of the deal.
But as I got more love, it became a problem, along with
unruly patrons violating my space, touching me,
grabbing my mice, pushing and pulling me. I
understand the flipside, but that does not give you the
right to violate me. This led to the ridiculous notion
that I was initiating incidents with people, and not
‘following rules’. What rules? No one handed me a
rulebook here. My outspokenness and honesty as a
writer played against me here, my ability to report
things as they are did not fit in with people who have
never been where I’ve been, as a front man, as a total
artist, as a man. I recall the leader saying he liked an
interesting mix of people, as well as my artist’s
perspective. Wow, that changed over time. I’m totally
allergic to bullshit, and there was too much flying
around for my taste. I have never in my 25 years of
singing live dealt with anything like this…read on.
Things reached the boiling point in mid January,
when after a show, one where I had a good
performance vocally, but my movement was limited
due to leg pain as well as a tight area. The other singer
asks me if I’m ok, that we need ‘energy’ for an

4. upcoming video shoot, then turns up the heat by
badgering me incessantly about it. I told dude
numerous times not to worry, I’ll be ready, finally, in a
manner too audible for his taste, and walked away to
avoid further engagement, I’d been down this road
before with this guy.
To my amazement, for the 2nd
time in 5 months, this
guy follows me! Where I come from, we don’t play that,
so I turned to face him, he looks up at me, and takes
his jacket off, which stunned me, I mean who does
this? Total high-school move. I was mad as hell, but I
knew I couldn’t risk my rep on this foolishness, and at
the same time, I’m laughing inside at the sadness and
absurdity of this, and the rest of the band, watching
this and saying nothing. That moment confirmed what
I’d been feeling; I wasn’t a valued member of this band,
in some ways, resented; the other singer actually told
me some time ago that he was jealous of me, a guy I
have praised in previous columns here. God kept me
from reacting violently, I hadn’t gone there in over 30
years, and back then, someone got hurt, and it wasn’t
me.
2 days later, I was fired, with the initial reasoning
that ‘its not working out’, I don’t look ‘comfortable’,
allegedly after some careful thought. Unless you were
building a case, and I know they were, you don’t make
a decision like this in 2 days. WTF is that about? A
couple days after that I got an email from the leader of
this band that basically assaulted my character, in
essence making me the bad guy, as if I was harming
his product. The leader made some promises that he
went back on due to the reaction to my firing on

5. Facebook by friends, fans of mine, and theirs, as well
as musicians in the community, and venues. I guess
they underestimated the fallout; so therefore, I didn’t
get the golden handshake, so to speak. I was a known
quantity long before I heard of this band, this is a
small slice or my artistic experience, a respect is there,
so the public reactions were understandable. He
blamed me for not stopping it. [Wait, you fired me, now
I have to stop negative reaction?] Other elements
included the fantasy that I left this band to
concentrate on mine, that I shouldn’t tell people that it
went down like that, it makes me look bad [lol]. The
singer, told folk that I wasn’t fired; they love me, public
relations, cover your ass bullshit. The lack of integrity
does not surprise me. Excluding the main 2 that I
know wanted me out, they are decent people, but not
very direct, forthcoming, sometimes paranoid, who
talk about the guy who’s not in the room, not because
they’re bad people, this is just how they do it. You
can’t tell me that they didn’t talk shit about me, as I
have received feedback.
This has made a mess of things, it’s caused a
change that I see as a blessing, and from where I
stand, they have only hurt themselves, someone must
have really despised me for them to deliberately dilute
a good product. I could deal with being fired. It’s how
you do it.
As an artist, all I wanted to do is sing great songs,
and I didn’t hurt them from a talent standpoint.
Honestly, I no longer have to worry about a guy
tapping me on the shoulder, telling me what song to
sing, them worrying about people leaving the dance

6. floor, etc. As a musician, I give you what I have, which
am my best. I’ve done this with great players in great
venues for many years, and some of the stuff I dealt
with here, I never had to deal with, because it was
about music, and wherever I’ve been, the singer was
allowed to do his best work. That was not the case in
this situation, as so many of my song suggestions were
rejected. After all, this was a mixed-race band where
many of these cats knew little about r&b until
recently, as they were a blues band beforehand. With
my band, we won’t have those concerns, we do things
differently, and I have players that grew up on this
music. Those elements alone make us a force,
however, we compete with no one.
As a postscript, I received an anonymous email from
a coward close to the last’s band’s circle, insulting, me,
my band, my future, as well as my choice to support
myself as an artist. When I responded with dignity,
they sent another that virtually gave it away. I know
who it was. God bless you. As I look onward and
upward, it is what it is. For a minute, it was real cool, I
met some cool people, had some good times. At day’s
end, this is another stepping-stone. I did my thing, but
they didn’t appreciate what they had, they may never
reach these heights again, and trust me, I hope they
do reach them, but they hurt themselves with this one.
As for me, it’s not cold, and I’m not alone, as one of
these ignorant emails suggested, emails, that for some
strange reason, still show up in my junk folder, where
they belong. Now that I’m gone, I can no longer be
blamed. By the way, MDIII is more than ok; we are a
damn good band, with a network of talented and
respected players. It’s nice to be appreciated and

7. respected by your peers. Sadly, that was not the case
with the last band, and contrary to the hate mail, I do
not wish to be part of this band, although they are
respected and loved by many. Again, it comes down to
how you handle things, if you try to fool the public,
you’ll cry the tears of a clown.