Phillip, 'Stevie Got his'

Growing up as a young singer in Akron, Ohio the singer that had the biggest influence on me was Stevie Wonder. I used to listen to every run, every nuance, every phrasing, everything Stevie. I learned a lot about singing just listening to him.

Well when SWITCH got signed to Motown Records, obviously we were on the same label as Stevie Wonder. I was 18 years old and hadn't developed my own style yet. When you grow up singing top 40 in local bands you tend to mimic the singers of the songs you're singing. On American Idol you'll notice that the judges will tell the young upcoming artists that they need to develop more of an original sound, or something along those lines.

Well this is what happened to me. We were doing our record and Jermaine Jackson was producing this particular song. I don't even remember what the song was at this point because the lesson I learned was more important. I sang this part and it sounded so much like 'Stevie', Jermaine actually stopped the tape and said "Phillip, Stevie Got His", which meant that I needed to do my own thing. I remember riding home from the studio that day with Greg Williams and said, "I need to find out who is Phillip Ingram and at this point I have no idea".

Well that was the probably the best advice anyone had given me. Those three words, 'Stevie Got His' has helped me to develop into the singer that I am today. It forced me to try things that I heard in MY head. The foundation was definitely Stevie Wonder AND Donny Hathaway, but I needed to develop my own personality.

This became a goal of mine to develop my own style,  and I knew that I had arrived when people starting asking me, hey is that you singing on...? After our records came out people started to hear my style of singing and then when a commercial would come on or a song in a movie, that could have been me or even sounded like me that's when the questions came out, is that you singing on.... Mission accomplished.

Even today when I'm producing the vocals for another singer or teaching vocals at the college I'm a real stickler on making sure that a singer has their own originality. It's made a huge difference in my career over the years

Jermaine's 3 words has had an impact on me, probably more than even he realizes and to that I'm grateful. So if you're a young singer / songwriter that's coming up remember the 3 words that helped to shape my career, "Steve Got His"

Until Next Time - Phillip