The award-winning urban inspirational vocalist DeWayne Woods is back in the spotlight with his first album in four years. “Life Lessons” (Soul Therapy) hits stores February 3rd. The uplifting ten-song set features contributions by Urban AC radio A-Listers such as Grammy® Award winner Anthony Hamilton, Avery* Sunshine, Dave Hollister, P.J. Morton and Larry Waddell & Stokley Williams of the legendary band Mint Condition. Best-known for the Top Ten radio smashes “Let Go” (2006) and “Living on the Top” (2010), Woods pulls out all of the stops on this collection that stretches him beyond his musical comfort zone. “I can honestly say this is the kind of creative project I’ve always wanted to record where there is enough on it to cater to everyone, but not lose my core,” Woods says of his third faith-inspired album. “It’s always great to think about building your audience as you grow in your career, and I definitely feel this is the record to do so.”
The current Top 20 radio single “Friend of Mine” is an upbeat tribal rhythm boasting cameos by Anthony Hamilton and erstwhile Blackstreet crooner Dave Hollister. Noted producer/ songwriters such as P.J. Morton (Ruben Studdard, Robert Glasper), Gerald & Tammi Haddon (Tamar Braxton, Erica Campbell), Estee Bullock (Hezekiah Walker) and Cedric Shannon Rives (Le’Andria Johnson) deliver brilliant songs reflecting Woods’ current state of mind. He also dusts off Donald Lawrence’s 2002 chestnut “Can I Lay In Your Arms.” Mint Condition’s Larry Waddell and Stokley Williams wrote and produced the smooth Quiet Storm-styled ballad “They Said.”
“Over the last few years I’ve experienced extreme ups and downs with life, depression, disappointment with my career and even the feeling of being left behind,” says Woods who has worked on projects with artists ranging from Celine Dion to Atlantic Starr. He recorded two albums with the latter in the late `90s. “When I started receiving music, I always made sure the songs I chose spoke to some part of my life. As the record started to build and my manager and I worked with the writers about certain things I wanted to express, I realized it became a teaching record full of lessons that I’ve learned over the years. I’ve gone through these experiences not just for me, but to help someone who may be experiencing the same things.”
