With only $20 in his pocket and a dream bigger than Saginaw, Michigan, Tony Tatum packed up and headed straight to Atlanta in 1999 to follow his life’s calling: music. Tony’s first lessons in music and performance began in his mother’s bathroom, where she turned every morning into her own concerts. With the mirror as her audience and the brush as her microphone, Tony’s mother sang classics with the fervor of a star performing for thousands. Tony began mimicking her style, inspired by her passion, and belted out songs by The Whispers and Donny Hathaway at age seven. Most kids his age just memorized lyrics, but Tony found himself infatuated with the craft. It was not enough to just like the artist and sing— he studied song structures, dissected verses, and fell in love with the artistry behind beautiful music.
Tony's leap of faith in ‘99 marked the beginning of what Tony calls “the struggle.” For six years, Tony practiced relentlessly, studied the business, and stayed ready for any opportunity he knew would come his way. That six-year investment finally came back full circle one Tuesday night while Tony was on the phone driving down I-75. A producer he’d connected with called him and Tony ended up auditioning for Keith Sweat over the phone—still driving— and two days later, he was on a tour bus traveling the world as a background singer with Keith for the next six years. On the global stage, Tony learned to command a crowd, connect with fans, and deliver a captivating performance.
Today, Tony has curated monthly tribute shows at St. James Live in Atlanta, where he honors legends who inspired him to pursue his career in music, including Switch and DeBarge. He aims to keep the integrity of their timeless music alive while crafting his own legacy as a performer.
Tony lives to tell the tale: If you believe in your purpose, “whether it takes 20 days or 20 years, stick with it until you get a yes.” For Tony, that yes turned that $20 and a dream into his reality—a life of musical fulfillment that can fully support him and his family.