Triad native making her impact on the music industry
BY ASHLEA JONES
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Triad native Imani Pressley is already
making her impact on the music industry.
With a Grammy and Dove Award nomina
tion under her belt by the age of 19, she
may be well on her way to being globally
recognized.
Pressley, who is a native of
Greensboro, discovered her love for music
at a very early age. She began her musical
journey by learning church chords from
her mother. "My mother played the organ.
1 knew that learning church chords would
take me anywhere," says Pressley.
Music is a huge part of Pressley's fam
ily history. Her mother and father both had
their own bands. "My grandfather and
uncles play several instruments and my
grandmother and aunts all sing," said
Pressley. "It's like a family tree and it just
came down to me and I've been blessed to
do everything and put all those things
together." ' ,
Pressley, who produced her first songs
at the age of nine, not only plays three
instruments, but is a singer and songwriter.
"I play the piano, drums and guitar. I'm
currently learning the bass," said Pressley.
A meeting earlier in her career with ?
another Greensboro native offered
Pressley to a link to Prince, who died last
month of yet unknown causes.
Pressley had the opportunity to collab
orate with Greensboro native Shelby J.,
who is best known as a vocalist in Prince's
NPG Super-Band. "I was blessed to run
into Shelby J. When she told me that she
knew Prince, 1 nearly passed out," Pressley
said. He is literally my inspiration."
Pressley
I was intro
duced to
Prince
through his
music by her
parents. She
believes that
his music
related to her
soul. "As a
musician and
producer, I
hear every
thing he does
in his music
Pressley
and I was so inspired by that," said
Pressley. "That made me realize that there
is no limit to great musk. In my mind, He
was the person that pioneered that [con
cept]."
Through her connection with Shelby J.,
Prince had the opportunity acquaint him
self with Pressley. "He's a part of why I do
music. For him to know my name and for
him to have asked about me before he
passed is the most special thing in the
world that I've ever encountered from a
music artist."
Pressley believes that Prince's legacy
will continue to live on through musicians
that he's touched. "His music is timeless.
He didn't sensor out any of his emotions,"
says Pressley. Through songs like Purple
Rain and When Doves Cry, you really feel
his lyrics. His lyrical content and emotions
are going to live with people forever. Then
his musical talent puts the icing on the
cake. There's never going to be another
Prince."
Pressley, who released her first album
titled 'I Ain't Ashamed To Praise God' at
the age of 14, was afforded several oppor
tunities to perform at various churches in
the North Carolina region. "Everyone was
impressed that I was able to sing, rap, pro
duce, and play everything," states Pressley
in her online bio.
After reading an article in Jet maga
zine, Pressley's father sent some of her
music to JPat Records, an entertainment
company owned by mother and former
manager of R&B superstar Usher
Raymond. Her music was discovered in
the trash by JPat's A&R development
mentor, which led to an invitation by the
company. "A guy there threw my stuff
away," Pressley said. Luckily, Michi
Robinson, who I now call my godfather,
picked it up and basically took me under
his wing. He's a big reason why I'm here
today."
While continuing her journey to musi
cal superstardom, Pressley received her
high school diploma from Ragsdale High
School in Jamestown. She also began
uploading videos of herself constructing
songs from scratch in her home studio to
YouTube. These videos eventually caught
the attention of Fred Jerkins HI, Grammy
winning songwriter and brother of produc
er Rodney Jerkins of Darkchild
Production.
After signing with Darkchild, Pressley,
contributed her producing and songwriting
talents to releases by gospel artists such as
Canton Jones, Virtue, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7.
She produced a song entitled, "Bring Your
Praise" from Trin-I-Tee 5:7's sixth album
"Angel & Chanelle," which earned
Pressley a Grammy nomination for Best
Gospel Album. A month later, it was nom
inated for a Dove Award as well.
Pressley went on to receive an
Associate Degree in Audio Engineering
from Guilford Technical Community
College. After completing her degree, she
decided that it was time to finally pursue a
career as a Pop/R&B artist. ^
"As I grew older, I found that in that
genre, I was able to express myself more. I
know that I'm a clean individual, so I'll
keep it clean as if it was gospel," Pressley
said. "I just knew I could express myself
more, empower women, talk about love,
talk about having fun, and talk about
inspiring people. That was the field where
I could really capture my entire vision."
Pressley said her best advice for North
Carolina artists who dream of making it in
the music industry is to do what's in their
hearts. "Stay true to your heart and as
cliche as it might sound, don't give up on
your vision."
Pressley has a very big vision for her
self. She will be working on putting a full
project of her own together soon. "I've
been blessed to work with Brian Kennedy,
a record producer and musician," Pressley
said. "We've got some magic in the
works."
W-S Arts Council joins national study
SPECIAL TO
THE CHRONICLE
The Arts Mean
Business." This is the mes
sage being delivered by
The Arts Council of
Winston-Salem and
Forsyth County, who
announced it has joined the
Arts & Economic
Prosperity 5, a national
study measuring the eco
nomic impact of nonprofit
arts and culture organiza
tions and their audiences.
The study is being conduct
ed by Americans for the
Arts, the nation's nonprofit
organization advancing the
arts and arts education. It is
the fifth study over the past
20 years to measure the
impact of arts spending on
local jobs, income paid to
local residents, and revenue
generated to local and state
governments.
As one of nearly 300
study partners across all 50
states plus the District of
Columbia, The Arts
Council will collect
detailed financial data
about local nonprofit arts
and culture organizations
such as our theaters, sym
phonies, opera, dance com- 1
panies, museums, festivals,
and visual arts organiza
tions.
Surveys will be collect
ed throughout calendar i
year 2016. The results of
the study will be released in
June 2017.
"Many people don't
think of nonprofit arts
organizations as business
es," said Rick Moss, Chief
Financial Officer,
Hanesbrands and Arts
Council Board Chair, "but
this study will make clear
that the arts are a formida
ble industry in our commu
nity?employing people
locally, purchasing goods
and services from local
merchants, and helping to
drive tourism and econom
ic development."
The Arts Council will
also collect surveys from
attendees at arts events
using a short, anonymous
questionnaire that asks how
much money they spent on
items such as meals, park
ing and transportation, and
retail shopping specifically
as a result of attending the
event.
Previous studies have
shown that the average
attendee spends $24.60 per '
person, per event, beyond
the cost of admission.
Those studies have also
shown that, on average, 31
percent of arts attendees
travel from outside the
county in which the arts
event took place, and that
those cultural tourists typi
cally spend nearly $50 per
person.
According to the most
recent study, the Forsyth
County nonprofit arts
industry generated $136.6
million ih total economic
activity and supported
4,769 full-time equivalent
jobs during 2010. The
$136.6 million total includ
ed $70.6 million in spend
ing by arts organizations
and $65.9 million in event
related spending by their
audiences on items such as
meals, local transportation
and overnight lodging.
Complete details about the
fiscal year 2010 study are
available at
www.AmericansForTheArt
s .org/EconomicImpact.
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offering options of 0% to 3%
down payment*
? Owner Occupied properties
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? Sellers concessions up to 6%
? No PMI
? Qualifying income must be at or
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Income
? Homebuyer education and home
inspection required
J
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360 monthly payments of $716.12. This is a representative example. Interest rates and APRs are based on current market rate and are for informational purposes only. Rates are
subject to change without notice and may be subject to increase based on property type, loan amount, loan-to-value, credit score and other variables. The proposed example does
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Maximum loan amount is currently $417,000.00 as of date of publication. Borrower may not have ownership in another home at the time of dosing, must not have late payments
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debt to income ratios apply. Structural and mechanical systems (such as roof, flooring, heating, etc.) must have a remaining life of at least 3 years or must be replaced prior to closing.
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borrower should consult a tax advisor. HUD median income varies by area and is the amount at which half of area incomes are above and half of area
incomes are below that amount. Seller concessions allow the seller to pay up to 6% of the purchase price toward the home buyer's dosing costs Member
including loan origination fees, discount points, title search fees and prepaid items such as taxes, insurance and inspections If combined loan to LSj
value (CLTV) is greater than 100% borrower must use eligible down payment assistance program (such as FHLBA, City's DAP, NCHFA, USDA, etc). LENDER ? l^lXa
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