Myron Butler has produced all three albums of Tamela Mann's albums and he has utilized the outstanding talents of his group Levi (singers and musicians). On Mann’s latest album, new musical talent was brought in to further flavor the stellar project-the likes of Roy Cotton and Mike Robinson from Dallas. Drawing from the DFW talent pool has provided great ROI for the Mann's and the TillyMann (named after their daughter,Tia) label. It doesn't take much to be considered family with the Mann's and their tightly knit network of family is taking the gospel industry by storm!
The familial thread is also far reaching…all the way back home, to Fort Worth. David and Tamela both hail from Fort Worth and have made a point to remain approachable and available in their hometown. The regularly attend service when at home and still stop to speak when out and about.
The Wright Stuff
Sharing a thread that is nearly as old as their singing careers, the Mann’s road band consists of a family near and dear to the Mann’s. If you’ve ever made yourself familiar with the story of Kirk Franklin, you should know the name of Fort Worth businessman Gerald Wright.Wright played an integral part in the making of Kirk Franklin and the Family and a pivotal role in bringing Tam to the forefront once her background days were over.
Wright used a portion of his money to invest in Franklin and his fledgling group largely comprised of friends and local singers that immediately shook the foundation of gospel music. After “Why We Sing” everything Franklin did was pure gold,but Wright’s role as manager diminished and ultimately ended as Franklin’s fame grew. Wright remained connected to David and Tam and others from the group in the years after their separation from Franklin. Wright’s connection to the Mann’s remained intact and influential until his untimely demise in 2005.
In a chance conversation somewhere around 2003/2004, Wright pointed Tamela in the direction of his nephew who had an amazing group of singers and musicians. Relishing the opportunity to sing with the one of the most recognizable voices in gospel, Jimmy Wright and Promise rose to the occasion and delivered a solid performance behind Mann at a concert in Fort Worth.
They would have the opportunity to share the stage again in between albums and continue to share the road stage with her. Jimmy Wright has led the group “Promise” for a number of years and is just as persistent as his uncle when it comes to music. Developing a reputation for impeccable vocals and music, Wright and Promise delivers what you hear on the albums and more with each road date. The Wright family also has a thread of a family bond also. Jimmy’s younger brother Patrick serves as the Musical Director, their cousin Erech is the bassist for the band and their sister sings alongside sisters Tiffany and Tia Mann from time to time.
Whether the family is blood(Wright) or just bonded by friendship(Levi), the connection to the Mann family is one that has been a blessing to anyone who's been close enough to become a beneficiary. It's Grammy time in America, and the Tillymann family is on the brink of yet another milestone and achievement for Tamela's stellar career.
You can’t choose family, but you can choose friends. The common thread of family has brought the Mann Family good success and will become a blueprint for artists and musicians in the years to come!
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