SOUTHERN COMFORT
Anthony Hamilton on love, marriage, and why he's
more than R&B
By DONYA BLAZE
Published: June 18, 2008
Jive
Some interviews are just that - a mere exchange of information between two people. In its textbook worst, it can leave a journalist with scant biographical information and uninspired quotes. In the entertainment business, it’s not unusual for the process to dip even further into banality with stars dropping carefully crafted sound bites from their publicists and managers in a straight up I’m-talking-to-you-because-I-have-to vibe.
Then, there are conversations - those freewheeling discussions about any and everything that occur when an artist wouldn’t have a guard up if you personally went to Home Depot and built them one. Genuine conversations are a rare, but welcomed, occurrence in the music world. So, imagine my surprise when Anthony Hamilton not only made time to speak with Milk, but did so in the middle of his daily exercise routine outside his home in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Having just launched the debut release from his wife and former background singer Tarsha’ McMillian Hamilton on his own Mister’s Music label, the singer talked openly about married life, church folk, and the possibility of working with Dr. Dre. Plus, he even gave an impromptu performance of one of his hit songs. Guess Southern boys really do have all the charm.
Tell us about why you started your own label.
It started off with just wanting a production team. Looking at the labels now and seeing that they don’t really focus on the artists like they should, I took it upon myself like we’re not gonna sit around and beg people to listen to the great music we’re putting out. We’ll do it ourselves. You know, we got the Internet and so many different ways of getting across to people nowadays that you don’t really need a big label behind you like that. My wife is actually the first lady on Mister’s Music, and Ashes Clay, a friend of mine and rap artist from Ashland, North Carolina, is the second artist on it. It’s gonna be a boutique label that expresses itself through music, whether it be rock, country, whatever. Just real good music with integrity, as much as possible.
How do you and Tarsha’ balance marriage with working together?
Well, it just happened over time. At first, we both had to learn to trust each other’s judgment ‘cause we were both sensitive about our music. Our music was our babies. We had been doing it before we met each other. So going into the business side of it, it became a thing where she had to trust that I was gonna make sure that she was just as important as I was. And that she just wouldn’t be a background singer. Because she had been working with me for 4 or 5 years now, and we knew where we stepped on each others toes. It’s our company together, so the rest is just building each day and learning to respect each other and gaining that trust. Everything thus far has been working real good.
What was it about Tarsha’ that made you fall in love?
Just that pretty black skin. (laughs) I don’t know. When I auditioned her, it was over the phone so I hadn’t seen her. I was just drawn to her. And when she came to NY, I met her. It didn’t take long, a couple days or so, and I just started staring at her like ‘she’s pretty.’ Real dark skinned pretty girl. And we started hanging out. She had never been out to L.A. or really traveled a lot. I like sharing with people, so we started laughing and talking and playing, started messing with her in rehearsal, you know, with the eyes. Next thing you know, we hanging out, we went to church, and then we were dating and in love.
Going to church together is a big step.
Yeah, well it was important for me and it definitely was important for her. You know, we weren’t trying to go to church to prove nothing to each other. It was just time to go to church; it was Sunday. (laughs) The young lady we went to church with actually was someone who was liking me. We’re still all good friends, but she didn’t know [Tarsha’ and I] were starting to like each other. And about a year or so later she was like (mimics her voice) ‘oh my God you guys are good for each other.’ It was kinda cute.
Do you have plans to have children?
Whenever God say "come on," there we go. Plenty practice, though.
(laughs) That’s always healthy.
Boy, come on! Plenty..plen-tay! (laughs) But you know, we’re big fans of having a family. She gonna have my daughter. I have three sons already - Anthony’s 19, Romero’s 17, and Tristan’s 11. So, I have three boys and my wife gonna have me some daughters. And I definitely wanna give her a son.
>>NEXT: Anthony breaks down the "species" of women.
1 2 3 4 >>NEXT
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