Many of you are probably wondering how I got the nickname "The Candyman". Simply put, it's a high school nickname that stuck. I started my first business endeavor as a junior in high school. That endeavor was owning and operating a vending machine route. As a senior, I would sell snacks and goodies out of a small duffle that I would carry with me down the halls of the school. When anyone wanted to buy something, they would just holler, "Hey Candyman!". Needless to say, the rest is history. I am proud to say that I operated the vending route from 1996 until I sold it in early 2006. I have had a strong desire to being involved with the southern gospel industry since before I was a teenager. After attending a gospel concert in the very late 1980s where Gold City wowed a captive audience, I became fascinated with gospel quartets. From that point on, I knew I wanted to be around this music. I also wanted to be a bass singer, just like Tim Riley. Finally, in late 1999, I started finding my place in the southern gospel industry. In August of 2000, I graduated from The Halsey Institute, an educational program of the music and entertainment industry facilitated by Dr. Jim Halsey. Dr. Halsey is most renown as a country music legend and the personal manager of the legendary Oak Ridge Boys. While attending The Halsey Institute, I got a solid grounding in the music and entertainment industry, and through its guidance, I became involved in the promotion and production aspects of the industry. With the coaching of Dr. Halsey, I promoted my first concert on June 2, 2000. It was through this concert that I got into video production. Through my association with Dr. Halsey, I have received many opportunities and have been in positions that would not have been available to me if it hadn't been for this music legend. One of these opportunities was to be a judge for the "Contemporary Christian and Traditional Gospel" category of the 2001 Billboard Song Contest. (Side note: You know, people are funny. I can remember a few different times when a 'music buff wanna-be' (usually with their nose stuck up in the air because they think they are bigger than what they actually are) practically ignored me. Then after they found out I was a judge for the Billboard Song Contest they won't leave me alone.) Another opportunity was the honor of being a part of the video crew on an Oak Ridge Boys video shoot. That was a truely enjoyable experience to watch legends in the industry demonstrate their art for the crowd and cameras. In late 2001, I recorded a video project for The Tulsans Quartet. This began an invaluable business relationship and friendship with Doyle and Pam McAlister and The Tulsans. In early 2002, Doyle, the bass vocalist and manager for the group, began coaching me on how to sing bass. This is the first step toward making another dream of mine come true, "being a bass vocalist". Although the refining of my voice is not complete, and will still take more time, this is a process that I am thoroughly enjoying! No need to worry Tim! I am not ready to replace you...yet (just kidding). In 2003, I began singing with Carol McNair and Chec Chapman in a trio called The Joyous Praise Singers. This was a true joy to actually sing with a group. We had a great time, and sang at several churches locally. You can imagine our excitement when we were invited to be a part of several campmeetings, both locally and in neighboring states. I continued to sing regularly with Carol and Chec until mid 2004 when The Southern Gospel Quartet FORGIVEN brought me on board their team as their audio technician, running the sound for them during their concerts. Traveling with Forgiven was a most enjoyable experience! You can read about some of my memories in a journal that I created by clicking HERE. I have really enjoyed doing audio and video production. To this point, all of my production skills have been acquired from hands-on experience, which has been a wonderful teacher. Since my early days as a novice camera operator, I have always tried to improve my skills. Somewhere along the way, I realized an important fact: I can't do everything myself! That's why a strong team is important. Once I realized this, I began networking and putting together a dynamic production team. In this move, I also began moving moreso towards the roll of producer, a roll that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I have had the honor of working with some extremely talented crew members, and I look forward to many more projects.

Facts about The Candyman:

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