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The Life Lessons of Remont Anthony By Robert E. Martin
Remont Anthony is such an artist and certainly one of the best new artists of 2009. Born and raised in Saginaw, where he began his singing career at age 7, Remont moved to California at the age of 21, earning success not as a musician, but as an associate film producer in the movie industry until a life threatening illness quickly re-focused his energies and talents towards cultivating the musical muse percolating within. The result is a sound reminiscent of modern-day Motown, replete with uplifting rhythms and lyrics that deliver hope in an often dispirited and addled age. Indeed, Remont will be performing much of his original material at a special CD Release Party for his new release, The Time is Today at Magic Bean Café on Friday, May 15th at 8:00 PM. In actuality, Remont’s life-story is as cogent as his music and would serve well as a screenplay for a modern morality tale, mixing elements of drive, determination, success, and life-altering setback; but begins at the age of seven, with a relative that witnessed the spark of talent shimmering in the young boy’s eyes. “My Uncle, L.J. Reynolds acted as a sponsor for me in many ways,” explains Remont, “and bought me my first bass guitar and taught me how to play. He taught me the fundamentals of how to connect with a crowd and overcome any fears of public performance at an early age.” “Some of the key things I learned from him are key principles for an artist and performer,” he continues, “because you often wonder if somebody will appreciate your work. And he taught me that every artist has an audience. All the artist needs is an opportunity to be heard and then the audiences will appear.” “He also told me once that ‘everybody out there won’t like you, but those that do will know all about you through your music.” Eager to “live the life”, Remont left his hometown of Saginaw at age 18 and by the age of 21 moved to California to pursue his musical career, only to wind up finding employment within the movie industry as an associate producer for films. “For 25 years I worked as an associate producer, but let it go when I had a life altering experience,” he notes. “Frankly, I wasn’t into it with both feet and it was drawing me away from my true calling.” “I experienced an epiphany when one of my internal organs got infected,” continues Remont, “and it was a life threatening illness. One day it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and I was rushed to the Emergency Room and stayed in the hospital for three months. My first surgery happened at UCLA with the best surgeons, but I went into the hospital at 230 pounds and came out at 140.” “The head doctor snuck into the room one night and said that in all his years of practice he had witnessed only two people survive the same condition that I had, and said that I was that second person.” “From that point forward I reconsidered what my purpose in life truly is. For a long time my true calling was laying dormant and not working, despite all of my success.” “Basically, I realized the need to rearrange my priorities and found myself asking questions like, ‘What have I done?’ Not simply in the sense of what had I done to myself, but what am I doing for my family, for my loved ones, and for humanity? That’s when I had the moment of realization and my approach in life today is totally different because of it.” “The main thing I learned is that I can’t do it all by myself. Before my mindset was that I didn’t need anybody’s help in life. But ultimately, it’s all about love, honesty and ethics – the Golden Rule stuff. No matter how successful I was with film production, and trust me, I’d bought all this stuff – acquired homes, cars, and material possessions – as I lay in my hospital bed I realized it had all been about me and nobody else, so in the end my life experiences were empty.” Each of Remont’s surgeries took one full year to recuperate from and he had one in California and two in Saginaw. “During that period the music – the lyrics – the words and emotions that I felt a need to express came quickly,” he relates. “I realized that I had a lot to say and do and that if my music – as with my life – was going to have depth and weight to it, I had to address the issue of what I was going to do with my success.” At this juncture, Remont decided to form his own music production company, Strive Productions, with his partner, Tonja LaRoyce. Apart from creating his own material, the team at Strive seeks to develop talented Songwriters & Producers that can provide top material to recording labels and artists, as well as commercial jingles for advertisers. “Most of my own material is pop, rock ‘n soul,” explains Remont. “And I try to write about relationships, because I see so much hatred in relationships and marriages that could be worked out with knowledge and acceptance – break-ups that could be avoided if two people let down their defenses and work together.” “There is work to be done and no such thing as a worthless relationship,” he continues. “Any man or woman that doesn’t want to work together is basically saying they don’t want a relationship. Look at the book of Genesis – man and woman came first and then came all the people of mankind. You have to understand be in touch with the one-on-one level first; and the songs that I write speak of these things. They talk about the experiences, suffering, and pain that I’ve felt, and hopefully help to heal others in the process.” As for the production company, and the record formed with his partner, SoulBaby Records, Remont says “the purpose of success will be bigger than me. It’s not only about me, it’s about everyone. We want to contribute to rebuilding a stronger community, state, and nation and help create jobs in our struggling economy.” “There was $2.9 billion dollars in download sales in 2008 and I don’t think Michigan saw very much of that money,” states Remont. “I’m taking my cue from Barry Gordy because I love all that old Motown stuff and am here to challenge our stasis. We have to move forward and become diversified and with the situation in the auto industry I see panic and fear on the faces of three out of five people.” “The invisible is more realistic than the material realm, because if you think about it, thoughts are invisible but ultimately give life and shape to our reality. Ultimately, the mind is the most powerful organ because it makes dreams come true in this human experiment.” This whole idea of me wanting to give back to my community is important to me,” concludes Remont. “I have a need to do it and want to help diversity Michigan and create jobs and beautiful music in the process.” “And I will succeed because failure is not an option to me. I don’t give up.”
You can catch Remont Anthony at his CD Release Party at the Magic Bean Café, 5789 State Street in Saginaw Township on Friday, May 15th at 8:00 PM. For more information on Strive Productions, email strivepro08@sbcglobal.net. To order his CD go to myspace.com/remontanthony |
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As
a general rule, most art that carries substance is rarely created from a
perch of safety or convenience, but is borne from the tug of war between
contrasts and discords raging within the artist – as if the beauty that
results from a song that touches one’s soul, or a painting that speaks
to our higher instincts, is truly a product of the artist taming
whatever demons or discords exist within, so that the emotions expressed
in the lines of a song or the paintbrush serve as a type of roadmap for
souls in need of soothing.