Michael T. Brooks

In a time when R&B has conformed to
mainstream’s popish image and artistry is
defined by the amount of albums sold, a
new crooner with a solid, unique sound
is winning the hearts of music lovers
state by state. Michael Terrell Brooks is
a certified musician by ear and writer by
pen. With a love for music that extends
beyond the heart’s capacity, his very soul
is in tune with each melody and rhyme he
creates.

Born on December 4, 1986 in Ft. Pierce,
Fla. and adopted by Sherry Gilchrist and
Raymond Brooks at the age of three, Mi-
chael was a true blessing. Because of an
adoption agency advertisement on televi-
sion, he was welcomed into a family with
two parents, a brother and sister who all
loved him unconditionally.

Like most African-American families’
method of chastisement, Michael was
disciplined with physical punishment;
however, what he experienced was not
the norm – it was abuse. He’d encounter
whippings for no reason. Verbal, physi-
cal and emotional abuse became a part of
Brook’s daily regimen. At times, he felt
he had received the bad end of the stick
because he was brought into a family who
then treated him the opposite of what he
defined as love. From being deemed the
reason for his mother’s failing marriage
to the constant reminder of her telling him
he will grow up to be nothing, Brooks be-
gan to believe her every word.

At the age of 12, Brooks found music.
Singing in his father’s church allowed his
to hone his craft. With the new love, he
was inspired to listen to more music to
diversify his musical ear. Landing a lead
role as the scare crow in the school play
“The Wiz” was epic. From that point on
music became serious. He acknowledged
his passion for acting and created a space
in his heart for music, the craft that al-
lowed him to release his hurt.

When Brooks turned 16-years-old, he moved from city to city
throughout Fla. looking for a place that aided his deep, emotional
wounds and offered stability long enough to find his way. In the
search for redemption, he resulted to violence. Stealing cars and
sexing uncontrollably became his outlet. He enjoyed the attention of
being a ladies’ man and being the popular kid in school for rebellion.
In the midst of his troubles, he had a bittersweet experience – he
and his next door neighbor were expecting a child. A week after his
son, Daivion Brooks, was born, the court ordered Brooks back to Ft.
Pierce. He was devastated.

Out a legal move, Brooks found a new path to life. Living with his
dad, who is a minister, was the best move he had ever made. He was
able to stop everything negative going in his life and turn it into a
encouraging positive. With all legal actions being taken care of and
his dad being the father figure he longed for, Brooks was able to give
his focus back to his true love- music.

With all of Brook’s hard work, at the age of 17 it finally paid off.
“Make It Right” was Brook’s first song to make radio in Ft. Pierce.
His family and friends were elated. It was then that he realized he
wanted to pursue music for the rest of his life. After exhausting all
of his options to make music happen, he moved to Orlando. It was
there that he was able to link with positive, motivating producers
and engineers who taught him how to write, engineer, produce and
to bring music to the forefront of his career.

Garnering all the experience he could in Orlando, Brooks attend
Bethune Cookman College for a year and met Jive recording artist
Haitian Fresh. After their initial meeting, Brooks went on tour with
him and learned everything about the industry. When the tour came
to an end, Brooks moved back to Ft. Pierce for a summer then to
Tallahassee, Fla. to attend community college. It was there that he
started development as a true artist.

With 75 shows under his belt and the inspiration from recording art-
ist like Smokie Norfold, Lauryn Hill, Trey Songz and career and life
guidance from Song Book’s Troy Taylor, Brooks was on a mission
to the top. It is Brooks hopes to instill the gift to inspire the nations,
become a positive influence in the lives of others, create his own
label where he’d pull in talent that may not have the opportunity in
order to bridge the gap between them and the industry and do for
those who can’t do for themselves.