An Interview With Edward Sylvan
One of my young students in class when he heard the song immediately started saying that was me when he heard it. He just got out of jail and was struggling and when he heard the song, he said that’s why I’m still here today. But throughout the years, people would see me and connect that I’m the guy singing the song and the first thing they would do is share their story. Endless stories of beating divorce, cancer and more. Honestly, when it was released, so many people told me it was a hit so I thought it would blow up and I would be rich, but instead, I got rich in testimony! It was depressing at first knowing that I made the song and people didn’t recognize that it was me, but I believe it was destined for them to hear the song not for me to be famous. It wasn’t my time just yet.
As a part of our series about music stars who are making an important social impact, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Alvin Garrett.
Alvin Garrett is a bassist, songwriter, and producer who has easily switched between the contemporary R&B and gospel worlds. A native of Birmingham, Alabama who was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, he came up through Freestyle Nation and Just a Few Cats. The latter band featured Ruben Studdard, who employed Garrett as musical director following his solo breakout through American Idol. During the early 2010s, Garrett also collaborated with Jordan Knight, Johnny Gill, and Noel Gourdin. More prominently, he worked on Dove- and Grammy-nominated gospel recordings by Deitrick Haddon and Trin-i-tee 5:7. In 2012, Garrett self-released an album of slick contemporary R&B titled Expose Yourself and continued to work behind the scenes with fellow artists. After contributions to recordings by Alexis Spight, Joe, and Nick Carter and Jordan Knight’s Nick & Knight project, Garrett released a 2015 single, “By Myself,” fronted by Studdard.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?
In 2015, I found my artistic voice, but I would consider this the third or fourth leg of my journey from starting as a musician, musical director, producer and writer. I wrote a song called, “By Myself” which was the culmination of my gospel, blues, and soul background coming together. It’s led me on a journey where I’ve found a purpose with my music outside of my church upbringing. That song let me know that outside of the realm of the gospel, there was a purpose of hope and inspiration that could happen with my music and my career. Because of that song, here I am today branding myself as an inspirational soul artist. It’s hard to find a genre for me because I’m not a true R&B and I’m not the true gospel, but a blend of both.
Is there a person that made a profound impact on your life?
Rueben’s story and experience had a profound impact on me, but I would say Al Bell from Stax Records. He wrote songs like “I’ll Take You There” and was the mind and genius behind some of the civil rights music being made on that label. He heard my song, By Myself and sought me out. We became very close friends after that and he mentored me privately. He shared a lot of personal history with me and taught me everything he knew like he was the sensei and I was his grasshopper! The two years I spent talking to him every day and to be mentored by an icon was impactful. I didn’t realize what he saw and heard when he met me. He had to teach me. Sometimes as humans we can’t see it and be it at the same time. You have to have another pair of ears and eyes to tell you this is who you are! He was like a surrogate grandfather to me. He took me in and fill in those gaps I needed to understand the music business. I thank him for saying you’re greater than you even know. Because I only saw myself as the backup guy, as the friend of Rueben’s, not the headline! So I try to do that for other people.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you explain how that was relevant in your life?
It’s an acronym from my entertainment company that came to me in 2018. I released an album around a song called, “This Hill” which stands for Hope inspiration love and loss. The slogan goes, Because of Hope, I have the inspiration to pursue what I love at the risk of loss. You can’t get on the HILL if you’re afraid of taking an L. To me, this is the message of faith and my personal motto is to keep climbing. Every day I get up I will allow my hope to inspire me to pursue what I love knowing there’s a chance I could lose. But if I’m too afraid to take an L, I can’t get on the hill! There is no hill without that last L and you have to factor in your losses for your dreams to come true. Nobody has ever accomplished anything great without taking an L.
How are you using your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting causes you are working on right now?
Well, my prayer from the beginning was to get enough success to have people listen to me. I’ve always said these things, but until I was successful few people listened. Because of the success of the song, when I talk to young men and ladies reentering society through the Dannon Project I can talk to them. When I tell them to check out my life song and play it they lose it! Once I tell them, I’m Grammy-nominated I got them. The credibility makes them say now I will listen to you. So when I talk to young people, I ask them what do you want to become? Then I teach them the process of writing a song and say that’s the exact same process you take with your life! You first decide what it is you want to be? What’s that song? Then who is your audience? Who are you around? Why are you writing this song? Why do you want to become who you are saying you’re becoming? And last how. Coming up with the plan and finding the right melody. Having an intentional approach to life. By using music and the songwriting process, it helps them think through decisions. It’s a music education program but also therapeutic.
Can you share with us a story about a person who was impacted by your cause?
One of my young students in class when he heard the song immediately started saying that was me when he heard it. He just got out of jail and was struggling and when he heard the song, he said that’s why I’m still here today. But throughout the years, people would see me and connect that I’m the guy singing the song and the first thing they would do is share their story. Endless stories of beating divorce, cancer and more. Honestly, when it was released, so many people told me it was a hit so I thought it would blow up and I would be rich, but instead, I got rich in testimony! It was depressing at first knowing that I made the song and people didn’t recognize that it was me, but I believe it was destined for them to hear the song not for me to be famous. It wasn’t my time just yet.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or an example for each.
I don’t think there was anything anyone could have told me that would have made my journey different or easier. I am who I am because my journey was hard. Rueben Studdard my good friend was on the show American Idol and won but that’s not my story. Because of my challenges, working in a corporate setting to advance and investing in myself, I wouldn’t want anybody to tell me anything to help make things easier. I would instead ask a person to tell me what is I need to learn from my challenges! Being able to learn from my challenges quicker would be helpful and even now in my career, I never tell anyone anything that will make their journey easier! If it’s too easy, it’s not going to be meaningful. You won’t get the treasured knowledge and stories. This insight comes from 20 years of being hit in the face so to speak! I’m thankful for these pages in the story.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
The Lightness of Love is an existence. If you live with love in your heart, the supernatural love and grace and forgiveness you will have a lightness in life. It’s a state of existence I found during the pandemic where you find yourself happier than ever in the worst of times you’re there. It’s how we can unite people and transcend our differences. It’s the challenge of seeing a father in a white officer whose putting your life at risk or seeing my brother in a man who has tattoos and gold teeth. To do that I have to live in the lightness of love inside. So when I interact with other human beings from different backgrounds and beliefs, they feel the lightness and not the heaviness of judgment. They don’t feel the prejudice coming from my eyes. If I could change the world to see the lightness in love inside I would so they could have the opportunity to connect with another human being. Even within our own communities, there’s hate. So the first frontier is us being able to look at each other as black people and say you are my brother and sister and be real. The lightness of love is more universal than the presence of God which may turn people away. Love is love no matter your religion.
How can people or government institutions support you in this effort?
Directly the Dannon Project is the name of the organization I work with as a consultant alongside the songwriting program. We are a government-funded program through the Department of Labor that is funded by the state and county as well as private donors. People interested in donating can go to the website and learn more about them as well, but we are looking to expand. We have a site in Montgomery and just opened one in Tuscaloosa. If there is anyone who wants to partner with us and help franchise a successful re-entry workforce development agency, we are open to those conversations. We know this process works and it takes partnerships with the church, government and workforce community to bring about change in our community.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?
The first name that popped into my head would be former President Barack Obama. I see a lot of him in me in turns of his love for people and how all people embraced him. Although he was attacked from all sides, he was loved by people from all backgrounds and on top of that, he’s a very intelligent and well-spoken man. He exemplifies the power of voice. I admire that. I’m inspired by him. He uses his voice to instill a feeling of hope in a person. Just to be able to sit and listen to him would be great.
Thank you so much for these amazing insights. This was so inspiring, and we wish you continued success!
Music Stars Making A Social Impact: Why & How Alvin Garrett Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.