Amé Houston

The lights dimmed and the crowd began to move with excitement and energy. As the curtains pulled back, DeAndre Patterson raised his hands and began to sing Ive Got A Testimony. Back stage, a small boy stood and sang quietly under his breath as he watched his father on stage playing the piano. Often, the little boy would shut his eyes and see himself standing on stage singing to a sold out audience. That little boy grew up around music from the age of three, so music is in his DNA, in his blood and most importantly, in his soul. His name is Am Houston. Now 21 years old, Am has held on to his dream of becoming a very successful musician.

Ams love for music and undeniable talent is something that his family has helped him to develop and cultivate from very early on. Ams father and uncles are professional piano players and Am recalls his dad taking him to the House of Blues every Sunday, where he would stand backstage listening to well-known gospel stars, who his father performed with. Those early experiences laid the foundation for Am's love of music. Am's father taught him to play the drums and sing at an early age. Foreshadowing the hard work and determination that Am would use later in life as a musician, as a young boy, Am would spend long hours recording himself on an old tape recorder in his mothers attic, working to develop his talent for singing and later, song writing.

When asked about his musical influences, Am said, "my musical influences are diverse and span many different genres. I grew up listening to Michael Jackson, New Edition, Willie Dixon, John P. Kee, Jay z, Bob Marley, and later, Chris Brown, Ryan Leslie, and Kanye West. Although these artists are great, my father was my biggest musical influence."

Ams sound is a smooth and energetic blend of 80s Pop and 90s R&B, with a modern twist added to it. In December of 2013, Am will be releasing his debut EP Fairy Tales, including the singles Love Sick, Rock You Baby, and "Dirty Dancing". "Fairy Tales mirrors life as Am has experienced it. Whether it is politics, love, struggles, or friendship Am's music resonates with truth and a soulful connection to the common experiences that we all share.

In addition to releasing his first EP, this year, Am has performed for many festivals around the country. Am is one of few artists to perform at Solider Field's "Tomato Blast" in front of a crowd of more than 5,000 people. One of Ams greatest accomplishments in 2013 was being added to the line-up in Kentucky, at the Kentucky State fair. Am is set to grace the stage at North Carolina's "JNFE Fest 2014, to perform on the pop stage. With over 50,000-100,000 people expected to be in attendance throughout the festival, this is just one of many major festivals this young artist will earn himself a spot on.

This Fall Am is doing a Stop the Violence High-School Tour of several Chicago Public Schools (CPS), which he has put together in order to tackle head on the issue of youth violence within Chicagos inner-city neighborhoods. Am will be going on tour to many colleges throughout the U.S., including Howard University, South Carolina State University, Clark Atlanta University, Jackson State University, and Chicago State University, just to name a few.