Today we’d like to introduce you to Julian & Marlon Booker and Gary “Stello” Clark II.
Julian, Marlon and Gary, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
We established our band in the spring of 2012, but we actually met several months before that as freshmen at Morehouse College. We kind of just clicked. Things started off with a few listening sessions as we shared each other’s work, and we began to sing together in our residence hall’s vocal ensemble. Acapella was really our bread and butter when we started out as a trio. By the time the spring of 2012 rolled around, we had done some writing sessions and began recording as a group. We made it official over a spring break trip to New York: while we were walking through the streets of Manhattan, we were singing and passersby already assumed we were a group. So when we returned to Atlanta we just said, “Why not?” and things just took off from there.
In 2013, more and more started to open up for us as we got opportunities to perform and expand our network. We started getting in the studio and recording some of the various instruments we played. One of our mentors, Kennard Garrett, mentioned that we should incorporate that into our live show, and so we developed from a vocal group to a full band.
Over the next few years, we were blessed with some awesome opportunities, including touring with our school’s jazz band, performing at the Apollo Theater, and opening for acts such as Jagged Edge and Avant. When we left school, we took a hiatus as we figured out our next steps. In 2017, we got back together and began planning the production of our self-titled debut album and released it in January 2019! Since then, we’ve continued to promote the album with live shows around the city and currently have a string of shows slated through the rest of this year.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Absolutely not! We’ve had many ups and downs along the way. I think anyone in the music industry can tell you how temperamental it can be. Being independent artists with full-time day jobs can be a circus sometimes, especially when all three of us live in different parts of town and need to coordinate a rehearsal or session. Not being attached to a label or working with a manager requires us to wear many hats, so we also have to facilitate marketing and distribution efforts on our own.
Gold Shades – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We brand ourselves as performers, but we do a whole lot more than that. We produce, write, record and engineer as well. Stello has credits on some releases beyond Gold Shades, and Julian and Marlon have done commercial works for hire as well.
We’re most proud of releasing our debut album! Being able to see the lives we’ve touched and those that enjoy our music has been nothing short of a blessing.
Our musical backgrounds are very diverse, so our sound reflects that. A consistent comment we’ve received on our music is that it touches a lot of different genres while staying cohesive.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
In this industry, you need to have patience. We have always focused on what we can control and what fulfills us artistically. And at the end of the day we know that we have fun and enjoy making music together.
Ultimately, we do define success as being able to pay ourselves a livable wage through what we do. With that definition in mind, we suppose we’re not successful just yet…lmao.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 678-435-9826
- Email: goldshadesmusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldshadesmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoldShadesMusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/goldshades
Image Credit:
Shari Devereux
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Sylvia (Collin) Wilmeth
November 1, 2019 at 10:09 pm
Dear Julian and Marlon,
I feel so very lucky to have known you “way back when”. I still see you clearly, hear you so well, in the team space at Punahou School. It was my last week there before retirement, and the two of you performed like professionals even then. Thank you for that sneak preview. Am I surprised over where you are today? Not one bit! I saw it coming. But I have watched your progress over the years with such admiration for your professionalism, your stick-to-it-iveness, your palpable joy in what you’ve done/are doing. In my book, you’re the best. Always were. I eagerly await a front row seat at a concert in Hawaii. But, don’t wait too long. . . I’m not getting any younger!