Music That Feels Good

Meet Nikki Ruth/The Story Behind the Single Pearl

Jul 28, 2010 Front Page

Her family called her “Nikki“…To everyone else she was known as “Ms. Ruth“… Her middle name was “Pearl“…To me she was my Mom and not a day goes by that I don’t think of her. She died at the young age of 61 from Diabetes related complications. Gone way too soon… Another anniversary of her death has just passed and I always wonder what else to do other than place flowers on her grave or casually mention her in conversation. I know that life goes on. I know that she’s in a better place. But knowing those things does nothing to help me keep the memory of her alive.

She wasn’t just my mother, she was my friend… my weekend coffee buddy. My bargain shopping buddy.. lol. She loved a good sale or a great bargain. My mother had impeccable taste and would” dress to the nines!” From the top of her head to the soles of her feet, she was the original fashionista. I didn’t inherit that..haha.. but I was blessed to have been crowned with her entrepreneurial spirit. A go-getter who was always on the grind..up before the sun rose and staying up past midnight  reading and feeding her mind. Ms. Ruth…she was something else!!

Kept to herself most of the times but if you asked her..haha.. she’d be all up in and through “yo” business. Words of wisdom flowed from her lips like a river of life. She’d even discern the lie someone attempted to tell her. Haha. Everyone loved her…she was the ultimate friend and would give you the shirt off of her back. I sooo miss her laughter, her fiesty ways and her wisdom.

Her health declined very rapidly and she didn’t even tell us that she was so ill. She always told us that she had high blood pressure. Had we known about the Diabetes, we would have made sure that she got proper care in time. But by the time we found out it was too late. See my mom was very private and never wanted to “burden” anyone..including us. She kept a lot to herself. She’d had a few light heart attacks that I found out about in her hospital room when the doctor asked about her first heart attack. I was shocked! That’s just how private she was. Diabetes is no joke..the seventh leading cause of death and early detection is very important to surviving it.

So I wanted to do something in her honor and as an eternal tribute to her life. Long after the flowers have wilted and the words on her tombstone have faded. What gift do I have to offer? The gift of song…Music! It lives forever! It can be passed on from generation to generation. It can be celebrated long after the writer is gone.

She loved Smooth Jazz ! So I thought I’d write and produce music that’s for her and about her. The title of the entire project is affectionately called “Nikki Ruth“…the first Single from that project is called “Pearl” and each subsequent track is written around her personality while incorporating parts of her life.

Next time I will tell you  the story behind the title of  each track. Oh you’re gonna laugh out loud, dance, celebrate and maybe even shed a few tears…but most importantly you will have found a new friend, a new confidante and of course she’s everybody’s cousin… in Nikki Ruth.

I will introduce you to the cast of players..musicians that I personally hand picked to be a part of this important project. I will tell you about  my  support to help stop Diabetes…one song at a time along with the American Diabetes Association. It’s great music…but the cause is greater! Stay tuned for more info and the the official release of “Pearl!” By the way, if you are a subscriber to my site, you automatically get the news FIRST!! So go ahead and sign-up TODAY! Smile with me ..

Tina Clark Teams Up With Anthony Clint Jr. On “Pearl”

Jul 12, 2010 Front Page

IMB: Let’s talk about the much anticipated and long awaited new single “Pearl” from Tina Clark…How did you meet her and how did you end up on the project?

Anthony: I met Tina through Twitter. She was one of the first people I started following that was in the music industry. We would tweet each other occasionally and share each others’ music. About a year later, she asked for my contact info because she loved some previous music I produced and wanted to invite me to play on the “Pearl” project. Next thing you know, I’m in my studio playing on one of Tina Clark’s ingenious creations. LOL!

IMB: How did you feel when she invited you to be a part of the entire project?

Anthony: I was honored to be a part of the entire project because she is very passionate about her music and selective about who she works with. Just to be among those who caught her eye…or ears (laughs) felt pretty good! I’ve always loved jazz and smooth jazz, so to see what we can create together in this genre will be a great experience. It’s an awesome opportunity!

IMB: There is a story behind the project Nikki Ruth..How did she convey that to you and were you able to grasp the concept?

Anthony: Well she gave me a little background on her mother Ruth, which was her first name. Nikki was actually her mothers nickname…I’m not sure exactly how she got the nickname Nikki from Ruth (laughs) but yeah, and Pearl was her mother’s middle name. Hence the track “Pearl.” So the project basically revolves around her mother which is a really creative concept, I think, to produce a project that has such meaning and significance all the way throughout. Tina’s mother was also a diabetic, which led to the idea of partnering up with the American Diabetes Association and having some of the proceeds go to the association. So yeah, there’s more to the project than just a random name with good music. Lol! There’s a concept behind it.

IMB: Technology has made it so easy for artists, musicians and producers to collaborate on a project and play on the same track without ever being in the same studio… working with Tina in that manner…was it difficult musically to interpret what she wanted as the writer and producer?

Anthony: Well, in this instance she had most of the tracks and ideas already done or laid out, so it was more of me learning how to play what she already came up with. That made the process a whole lot easier. Then there were times where she would have to explain what she heard for certain parts of the song, such as the break-down. During the breakdown she wanted some type of change, tension and/or some instruments to drop out. She would throw a few ideas out there and I would work with those, along with my creativity, until we came up with something she loved.

IMB: Some say that she is kind of difficult to please …Is that true/did you encounter that from her? Would you say that you totally clicked with her?

Anthony: You know, I wouldn’t say she is difficult to please. I would just say she knows what she wants and you just have to deliver it how she wants it. Being a musician, producer, and songwriter, I completely understand that. A lot of times, as producers we hear things in our head and know exactly how we want them to sound. It may be hard to explain, but we know when it’s right and when it’s not right.  I would say there were instances when we clicked because I heard a specific sound in the intro and then she called me not long after and tried to explain the exact sound I heard! (laughs) Crazy, huh?

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