A Brief History of Fidelity Music Entertainment / Nu Avatar Publishing

Many years ago, as a small boy growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, I loved hearing the radio, I didn't know why I loved music, I just did. It didn't matter what it was, I memorized everything I heard, from the theme to "Mission Impossible" to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony! And I especially loved KATZ radio, 1600 on the AM dial. During those days James Brown and Motown were the rage. Some of my favorites were Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Ashford & Simpson, Marvin Gaye, and who could forget the Jackson 5! It was the wonderfully orchestrated melodies combined with the infectious back-beats of the "Funk Brothers" that inspired me. I would stand in front of that old radio for hours and imagine the musicians in the studio laying down those beats. I imagined myself as a musician. But I needed something to play, I needed instruments.

I remember the day that I first saw a set of drums with my own eyes, I was ten years old and the boy across the street was playing a set that his father had purchased for him. I was immediately mesmerized by the sound and the power coming from that set. I could not wait for my father to return home that day, from his job as a mail carrier for the post office, so that I could ask him to buy a set like that for me. Sure enough, as soon as he reached the front door, I ran to him and made my request. He agreed as long as I was willing to take lessons and really "learn how to play". Things were tight in those days and there were five kids to feed and clothe, so if I got those drums I had better not waste his money! Well, that was the summer of 1971 and on December 25th of that year I awoke to have my dream realized. A brand new set of drums of my very own! Needless to say, at that time I had no idea of what to do with those drums and my father, after watching me fumble around for several minutes returned to bed as he had just worked a long shift the previous day. I felt bad that I was not able to really do something for him on those drums that day. But I wasn't discouraged. His dissapointment would be my driving force for the next 12 years. My father encouraged me by playing all sorts of music in our home and he introduced my to the jazz genre. He told me about legends like Art Blakey, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and many others. I learned to appreciate all forms of music because of him. As a result, I practiced and practiced until I could play anything any other drummer was playing, on any record.

During this same time, my other four brothers began playing different instruments; guitar, bongos, viola, coronet and piano. So, being the music fanatic I had become, I began to try those as well. I did not do so well with the coronet or the viola, but the others were a piece of cake. In fact, I can recall playing the piano one evening, I can't remember exactly what I was playing but both my parents came into the room and asked me how it was that I could play piano. It was a legitimate question since I had never had a single piano lesson in my life. I responded; "I don't know". And that's when it hit me.

I realized at that moment that something other than me was controlling the situation. I was being played like the instruments that I played. You see, I was designed to create music by the Creator. The impetus was there before I even knew it existed. It is the same with everyone. We all have a talent given to us by God. It is our task to find it, know it, and express it, for our much needed self actualization.

Well, to make a long story short, I went on to become the principal percussionist at my highschool, performing on television at the age of 14 and recording my first record with the jazz band and orchestra at 17! Then it was on to college where I performed with the jazz ensemble and earned my first $100 for a theatre performance at nearby Spelman College, I was 20 years old. And upon graduation, I returned to St. Louis where I finally got a chance to perform professionally for my father and mother atop the Breckenridge Hotel near the airport. At that time I was a member of a popular top 40's band.

Today, I have produced seven albums consisting of 72 original, copyrighted compositions on the Fidelity Music label, and my own publishing company Nu Avatar Publishing registered with the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Unfortunately, my father, having worked so hard his whole life, never lived to see the culmination of his kindness to a little boy that day, a long time ago, but every piece of music that I compose today is the result of his love for me and his belief that one day I would "really learn to play". This writing is dedicated to his memory. Thank you Dad!

To hear the Fidelity Music Entertainment sound visit my site at: http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/CharlesZWilliams
or, experience streaming audio of some of my work at:  http://www.ourstage.com/profile/charleszwilliams

And, thank you,

peace.

Charles Z. Williams