Born in Galveston, Texas,[1] where he sang in church during childhood, he moved to Los Angeles, California as a teen and won several contests there as a singer. After this stage in his career, he moved to the Netherlands, where he had a hit in 1983 with the song, “Rock the Boat”, a cover of The Hues Corporation’s 1974 No. 1 US hit. His version peaked at No. 4 in the UK Singles Chart[3] and in his native United States (No. 9 Hot Dance Club Play).[4]

A second single, “Feel the Need in Me” (originally by The Detroit Emeralds), was a hit in the UK, reaching No. 17.[3] A third single, “One Lover (Don’t Stop The Show)”, peaked at No. 67 in the UK.[