MANSFIELD – California-based gospel artist DeMont Jefferson was first inspired to pursue music because of his childhood experiences at Mansfield’s Oasis of Love Church.

After college, he moved to the west coast, but on Saturday, July 14 – about twenty-nine years after graduating from the former Malabar High School – Jefferson is bringing his talent back to the place it started: Mansfield’s quaint, brick church at 190 Chester Ave.

Jefferson’s “Ohio Xperience” concert will kick off at 6:02 p.m. Saturday with guest solo gospel artist, VanSwan White from California and continue throughout the evening with some of Jefferson’s own original music, which will be accompanied by a choir of local singers from Mansfield area churches.

“It’s going to be a concert featuring me, (at least one of) the new songs I just released and a few covers,” Jefferson explained. “But what’ll happen is we’ll have a big choir of people from churches.”

His latest releases are “Thank you” and “Grapevine.”

Jefferson began playing keyboard at age 10 and was singing for as long as he can recall. He graduated Malabar High School in 1989, and Wilberforce University in 1993, where he studied communications and started a gospel choir.

He decided to start Saturday’s concert at 6:02 p.m. because it’s his second time performing a concert in his hometown. The first time was in 2011, the same year he released his first single, You Know. Before that, he released two albums, one in 2004 and another in 2007.

Jefferson first held this type of event in Southern California earlier this year, where he serves as the musical director for a few churches.

“It was spectacular,” he said. “I was inspired to do a concert there to release some new music there.”

He hopes to later hold Xperience concerts other places, maybe more spots in Ohio or even in other states.

“Everywhere I go, it’s going to be named after wherever it is,” Jefferson said. “It will be personable and memorable for that particular area.”

For Saturday’s concert, he’s still looking for local singers to add to the choir. People interested in joining should attend a rehearsal at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Shiloh Full Gospel Baptist Church, 130 E 2nd St.

He hopes people will consider attending the Ohio Xperience concert.

“I’ll say, it’s a life enriching experience,” he said. “(I hope the audience will) walk away knowing that they’ve been in the presence of God and all their areas of lack have been filled.”