MANSFIELD — For James Davis Sr., music is a hereditary trait.
Growing up around Akron, Davis traveled with his father, Willie Griggs, and The Business — his father’s rhythm and blues band. They traveled throughout the nation; Davis would sneak on stage with an unplugged microphone and sing next to his father. The crowd, Davis said smiling, loved his energetic duets with his father and The Business.
“It was amazing,” he said of the experience with his father said. “When I was younger, I would hear melodies in everything.
“My father listened to all genres of music. It didn’t matter if it was jazz, Christian, hip-hop, country — it didn’t matter. Me and my brothers were just absorbed in it.”
Davis saw a life and music transformation at age 7 after attending his church’s youth group in 1994. He said he remembered hearing lyrics to a song in the movie, “Thief in the Night.”
“(The year) 1994 was a really critical time in my life as I was trying to figure out who I was in God. We had watched a movie, and there was a song in there, ‘There’s no time to change your mind, the son has come, and you’ll be left behind.’ I hear that, my heart is pounding because I don’t want to get left behind in the rapture. I think that was the night,” he said.
“My God used my cousin just to talk about what heaven is and how awesome it is. And what you could do as an individual and what you need to do to surrender your life to God. I surrendered my life over to lord in Jan. 19, 1995.”
Still keeping in tune with his love for God and the Christian music genre, Davis is putting the finishing touches on his first album — about 10 songs released each month. The album, themed around endurance, worship and praise, does not yet have a name.
He said he hopes the album encourages believers and doubters to have a relationship with God.
“They’re songs to Him,” he said.
Davis has been working on the album for years, and is working with his social network to promote the work.
The first taste fans can get will be his single, “Rescue Me.”
“There was a time in my life where I needed a closer relationship with God. I needed to find myself. And the song just said, ‘Rescue Me,’ ” Davis said. “It’s going to be a pretty big song that we are going to try and present to the community and nationally, internationally.”
Davis learned most about singing from his high school gospel choir, Contemporary Choral Ensemble at Akron Buchtel High School. Davis said his director, Benjamin Drone deserves credit for getting him away from being shy and performing songs for his school such as “Comfort and Joy” and “The Cat Came Back.” Davis said his elementary teacher, Mr. Cobb, deserves credit for showing him how to use his voice and hear his sound.
Outside of his music career, Davis works in the clinical field as a case manager, where he reaches out to different walks of life. He lives his life with a mission to show everyone the kindness God has shown him.
“I like to empower them and encourage them and speak life into them, so they know they have purpose,” he said. “You don’t have to limit yourself just because you’ve had certain situations in your life.
“I try to do what I can to try and pour into broken people who are having issues in life. If somebody says you can’t do it, I’m that guy who says ‘You can.’
“My heart is outside because that reaches every walk of life. I’m cool with church, but I like the unchurched. They are the real ones who don’t know. The people in the church they already know. The people outside of the church, you’re presenting something new.”
The James Davis Sr. band is comprised of a team of singers and musicians, including his wife, Joi, who he said has been very helpful to his writing and recording process.
