THE MAN
BEHIND
THE
MUSIC
ABOUT ME
PROLIFTIC PERFORMER • RESPECTED PRODUCER • TENURED SONGWRITER
To know Justin means recognizing his deep passion for music and singing. He began his musical journey at the age of 12 singing for relatives during family gatherings alongside his younger brother, Kenneth. In 1979, Justin made his professional debut with the release of his single, Spiritual Change, which garnered significant radio play and caught the attention of Tony Carter, the owner of TCS Records in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This opportunity led to the creation of his album, If Heaven’s a Dream, which achieved considerable success, ranking among the top ten on numerous gospel radio stations.
As his singing career flourished, Justin toured extensively across the nation. During this period, he produced his third album in a CD format, Come on In, under the Footsteps Recording label. Throughout his career, Justin was often compared to the late Sam Cooke, who was not only his idol but also a significant influence on his style. In a twist of fate, Justin received a call from Leroy Crume of the World Famous Soul Stirrers, the gospel group Sam Cooke was the lead singer for prior to transitioning to R&B. The phone call led to Justin performing with the group in Chicago in front of Cooke's family while filming a live video featuring Cooke's youngest brother, L.C. Cooke and R&B singer, Tyrone Davis. Justin spent six years with the historic ensemble, serving as the lead singer.
In 1998, Justin's talents were showcased on the CeCe Winans’ show, CeCe’s Place, where he and the Soul Stirrers performed in a live video recording. During the same year, they performed a live video recording for the show, the Living Legends of Gospel, hosted by R&B singer, Lou Rawls. This project featured some of the greatest gospel quartets in the United States. In 2000, Justin and the Soul Stirrers were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in Sharon, Pennsylvania along with Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, The Flamingos, The Mamas & The Papas, and The Drifters. Later, they had the honor of performing at the Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts.