When University of Memphis senior John Thomas sang his original song "I'm Ready" at the Bar & Grill 240 earlier this month, he didn't know he was auditioning for a spot on a local television show.
Brinkly "Young Brink" Wilson, the host of "City Beats," asked the local R & B singer and recording technology major if he wanted to perform on the show.
"When I first saw him, I knew I had to get him on our show," Wilson said. "He's a really good singer. He's one of the best I've seen in Memphis."
Thomas, whose performance will be shown on channel 17 on Nov. 25, said he never knows whom he'll be singing for.
"That's why I treat every time I perform like I'm singing in front of someone who can help me out," he added.
Thomas said his love for music began when he was young, and he credits his family for helping him develop his talent.
"Ever since I can remember, I have been singing," Thomas said. "I have amazing, talented people in my family. When my family gets together, you just know someone is going to bust out singing."
Gwendolyn Thomas, John's mother, said singing was a tradition in her family.
"It started when the power went out in our house," she said. "We were sitting in the dark with nothing to do, so we just started singing. And once John started singing, he never stopped."
Thomas said that when times get rough, music is what holds his family together.
"People can get mad or whatever," he said, "but music can usually resolve our problems."
Thomas said his inspiration comes from his family, who encouraged him to get into the music business.
"I take bits and pieces from them," Thomas said. "I look at the way they write lyrics, the way they sing and the confidence they have. They are very emotional, raw and real."
Thomas said the most important advice his family has given him is to be versatile.
"I'm mainly an R & B singer," Thomas said. "But I want to touch on many different genres. I don't want to be stuck in a box. I want to step out of the box."
On his newest album, How I Feel, Thomas included a rock song to show his versatility.
"It's good to be versatile because it keeps you working," Thomas said. "Doing just R & B can be boring. By performing different types of music, I got to work with a lot of different people, and that was a great experience for me.
"It takes a lot of creativity to bring all the different sides into one. It's a beautiful process."
Thomas said he hopes his album "brings realness back to music."
"Lately the music industry has been dumbing down music," Thomas said. "All they want to do is sell hooks, or stuff that's catchy. They're taking the art out of music. I want to put art and creativity back into music."
Thomas said the most important thing for him, as an artist, is to make his music relatable for everyone.
"I want my listeners to be satisfied, but wanting more," Thomas said. "I want to take people on a trip, and then I want them to want to go on another trip."
Thomas said he "takes people on a trip" by telling stories in his songs.
Ellis Fowler, friend and fan of Thomas, said he was drawn to Thomas' music because of its originality.
"R & B is losing its roots, and he is bringing them back," Fowler said. "You can tell from the way he writes and the way he delivers his lyrics - he writes from personal experiences."
Thomas said he puts all of himself in his songs.
"One hundred percent of my album is about things that really happened," Thomas said. "I just want my songs to connect with everyone around the world."
Thomas said websites like MySpace and Facebook are helping him make that connection.
"Thirty years ago, unless you had a record deal, you could only be popular locally," Thomas said. "You were limited. But with the Internet, you are limitless. The Internet helps me connect with people in places I can't physically go, but I can still send my music out there."
Thomas' album is available to download from MySpace and Facebook.
"My album is free," Thomas said. "But people should feel free to donate to the effort."
Thomas' effort, he said, was trying to make his music relatable to everyone around the world.
"I want my music to attract all sorts of people," he said. "I just want to make real music for everybody."
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