NewYorkGospel.com:
Tell me about the new project? What can listeners expect from the new project? 

DeWayne Woods:
One of the main things people can expect from this project is variety. We didn't want it to all sound the same. I have so many messages that throughout life God has kind of given me, personal testimonies, distinct messages that are just for me to be able to give to the people. We wanted to be able to deliver it in the best way that we possibly could so it's very diverse. Of course we have inspirational themes, praise and worship, because that's my heart, and then of course we have those songs that will just reach your heart. Great messages, not just great music, it's something that you won't just put it in just to have something to listen to, but you'll be able to put it in when you're going through situations and stuff like that
because we want it to be something that will be a classic.

NewYorkGospel.com:
How long have you been singing with the Tri-City Singers? 

DeWayne Woods: 
I've been with Tri-City about 9 years now, yeah, and I actually came to Tri-City from John P. Key. I was singing with John and that's when Donald kind of heard me and he picked me up and kind of took me under his wings, so about 9 years I've been with the choir. Of course, it's emotional for me.



NewYorkGospel.com:
How has your experience singing John P. Key and Tri-City prepared you for your solo career? 

DeWayne Woods: 
It's all been training. I've been in the background a lot and one of the things I’ve learned is that in order for you to be up front, you have to be willing to serve in the back. It's been a great training ground for me because I'm able to sit. I don't have to be in control. I'm able to watch the people and kind of see what works, what mechanics work for certain people and what I can apply to my life, what teachings that I've gotten from this person that I will be able to apply to my life and its been the best training ground of my life. John P. Key was a great teacher within his own right and then going to Donald who is of course one of the biggest
geniuses out there and he loves to empower people. He's a task master but He's great at empowering us to become what we need to be.

NewYorkGospel.com:
When did you start singing? 

DeWayne Woods:
Since I was a kid I would always be called out to do lead at my church and everything like that so oh yeah, I've been singing forever. When I first got to my very first church, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, I remember when I was a little kid the director that was there, Doris Johnson, she would pull me out from the choir and make me stand beside her and she would make me just follow her leadership and her direction. So its been training me.

NewYorkGospel.com: 
Let's talk about the new project, who wrote the songs? 

DeWayne Woods:
Great writers, actually the minister of music of New Faith Baptist Church
International Kevon Carter, he wrote two songs, two great songs actually on the project, one of my favorites is a song called “God Still Heals,” which is based off my testimony, the other song is a great personal message from me to God's people, “You Shall Reap.” It's talking about serving in the background and just kind of waiting for God to push you forward. P.J. Morton of course wrote my single “Let Go,” and Levi King Jr. from East St. Louis, Illinois, wrote the song “Strong Tower,” which is one of the songs people are kind of going crazy over right now. Great writers, Charmelle Cofield, my sister from Kansas City, wrote a couple
of songs. Jonathon Nelson, I can't leave him out, he did his thing on this record. It's great writers. I know I'm missing a few people but just thinking of key songs that are on there. Of course Myron Butler is one of the producers of the album. I did a duet with a young lady by the name of Candy West who was from Myron Butler and Levi and she wrote a song called “Sunshine” and we did it together, so like I said, it's very diverse.

NewYorkGospel.com:
What kind of impact has Donald Lawrence had on your music career? 

DeWayne Woods:
Donald Lawrence has impacted my life in such major ways. Just sitting up
under him and watching him in the studio, watching the producer Donald
Lawrence, watching the artist Donald Lawrence, watching the friend Donald Lawrence, there are so many pieces to him but they all just make up such a great person. So just sitting up under him I've learned so much about character, learned so much about even training my singers, training my choir, what to do in the studio, you know just sitting up under him trained me to be able to work on Byron Cage. I produced the background vocals for Byron Cage's record.

NewYorkGospel.com:
What other artists had a big influence on you and your music? 

DeWayne Woods:
John P. Key, Richard Smallwood, and Mark Hubbard, I've done some work with him. Of course you have to go to the pioneers, the Hawkins Family, Andre Crouch, the Caravans, there are so many there is no way in the world I could pin it on a few people. Thomas Whitfield, people who over the years have said something, done something or sung something that impacted my life and kind of trained my ear to become the person that I am today.

NewYorkGospel.com:

Thanks DeWayne, that's all I've got.  I wish you much success on the new album.

To hear the hot new single "Let Go" just go to www.verityrecords.com.