Singer reflects on small town roots, big city achievements
2011-10-19 / Front Page
Recording artist LaMont Wheat, a Kilgore native, poses for a promotional photo downtown Thursday. NEWS HERALD photo by AARON MAY Kilgore native and recording artist LaMont Wheat returned to his roots last week as he stopped by Kilgore to take promotional photos for his artist profile.Now living in Los Angeles, Calif., Wheat specializes in rhythm and blues style music and has performed with many stars of popular music, including PM Dawn, Kelly Price, Faith Evans, Joe, Jennifer Hudson, Brian McKnight and Jennifer Lopez.
Wheat is featured in Jennifer Hudson’s new single called “Everybody Needs Love,” released on her album, “I Remember Me.”
Big city success has not made this Kilgoreite forget his small town heritage.
Born in 1974, LaMont is the third of five children born to the late Robert Wheat Sr. and Wyslina
Wheat. He remembers getting his start in singing as a child when his day care hosted a graduation ceremony.
Recording artist LaMont Wheat visited his old stomping grounds last week as he posed for promotional photos downtown, at Kilgore College and other spots around town. Wheat’s music is available on iTunes and other outlets. NEWS HERALD photo by AARON MAY “At the end of the summer we had a graduation ceremony. The first song I remember singing live was ‘Oh Beautiful’ and I sang with my baby sister, Martha Williams,” Wheat said. “We had rehearsed the song … but the day of the graduation, we were both nervous and we swapped lines. I sang her lines and she sang my lines, but we made it through.
“I remember after it was all said and done – I think I was about six or seven – there was a group of ladies talking next to me and one of them said, ‘Wow that little Wheat boy sure can sing,’” he continued. “I will never forget, one of the ladies said, ‘Yeah, but didn’t he sound like a girl?’ That affected me deeply … no boy wants to be told he sounds like a girl.”
Wheat said he did not perform in public again until he was in high school and approached by the choir director.
“In high school, I was mainly into dancing. In those days M.C. Hammer was popular and I danced with different crews in high school. I would often hum in the hallways and I guess people heard me.”Wheat said the choir program needed two more men for a singing group and the choir director asked him to try out. Reluctantly, he did.
“My first gut reaction was, ‘No. I don’t want people to think I sound like a girl,’” Wheat said. “But I took a chance and said yeah. I signed up for it. It was amazing and that’s when I rediscovered my passion for singing.”
Wheat said he began singing in his church choir and at numerous school events. His passion led him to start a program called “Voices of Youth,” which focused on the Gospel style music LaMont listened to on Sundays as a child.
He said the music featured songs and styles traditionally performed in churches with predominantly black congregations – not because he was opposed to other styles, but because he wanted to celebrate the differences that make people unique.
“I wanted to show the difference in our cultures and the background of how black Americans portray song. So I started Voices of Youth in my junior year of high school and we sang for every program across Kilgore. It was really fun,” Wheat said. “We were a diverse group of people too. We weren’t all black. I think our group inspired people to step outside the box and try something different.”
After Kilgore High School, Wheat attended Kilgore College on two music scholarships, where he studied physical therapy. He worked for the East Texas Treatment Center for a few years before he moved to Dallas and received his bachelor’s degree in business from the University of North Texas.
Wheat said his dormant musical talents were stirred again when the company he worked for hosted an employee talent show.
“I hadn’t sung in about five years,” he said. “They made a big production out of this talent show. They had us do auditions. I made it through the auditions and was one of the ten acts they selected for the show. When I performed to about 500 of my co-workers and peers, I received a standing ovation. It was overwhelming. That’s when I realized that I really needed to get back to my passion, which is music.”
In 2002, Wheat created his own record label, called LaMont Music, and released his first complete album called “Love Goes On” in 2004.
“In 2005, I decided the industry in Dallas was not big enough for me to accomplish my goals so I decided to move to L.A.,” Wheat said. “So I quit my corporate job, packed up my car and moved to L.A.”
Since then, LaMont returned to East Texas on tour to promote his album in 2006, as well as performing abroad in London, Oslo, Berlin, Cologne and Acapulco. In 2009, he was featured on FOX’s “Good Day LA” Christmas morning concert. Also, Wheat recently released his single “I’ve Got It.”
Wheat’s music is available through iTunes, Rhapsody and other music outlets.Thanks to the digital age, LaMont said he is able to stay in touch with family and friends in East Texas through programs such as Facebook, Twitter and others. He also stays in touch with former clients from his landscaping business, which he started at age 14.
He said his mother is proud of his success, but he believes she’s more proud that he is happy with his life choices.
Hear Jennifer Hudson Ft. LaMont Wheat "Everybody Needs Love" (Moto Blanco club mix) here:
Facebook like LaMont Wheat @ lamontmusic
Download the new single "I've Got It" on iTunes
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