

Today we’d like to introduce you to Toni Byrd.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Toni. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My journey actually began in Memphis, Tennessee when I was a part of a Grammy-nominated community choir called, Billy Rivers and The Angelic Voices of Faith. This was an incredible experience for me as being a part of this group taught me a lot about the technique and the feel of singing and it gave me confidence as an eventual solo singer. In 1996, I was in a play called “The Prodigal Son” and I met a group of musicians who called themselves Trio Plus. I eventually became their female vocalist and performed with them mostly on the weekends. In 2000 I got married and moved to Tyrone, Georgia where I never intended to sing but in in 2001 after the 911 attack, the mayor of Tyrone heard that I was a singer and asked me to sing in a ceremony dedicated to the victims of that awful tragedy, From there, it seemed I started meeting so many people who were interested in having me sing in different local programs.
In 2003, Tom Sepanski, a saxophone player who was a part of a big band called The Peachtree Jazz Edition, invited me to come to one of their rehearsals and I was blown away. I was there as an observer but shortly afterward, I became their vocalist and was performing at many venues in and around Atlanta. In 2006, I became a part of a smaller group with a guitarist (Danny Smith) and a bass player (Mike Burke) and we called ourselves Circle of Friends. We performed together for a couple of years and eventually became regular performers at The Georgia Shrimp Company, a restaurant in Peachtree City, Georgia in 2008. While there, I met Terry Harps, in 2010. He was the owner of Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint in downtown Atlanta and he invited me and my piano player (Neal Wauchope), to perform there weekly. Going to weekly jam sessions and networking opened the doors to meeting and performing with many more incredible musicians who played everything from Jazz to R&B and since I could do it all, I got called to be a part of their events around town. As my reputation grew, I have had the opportunity of meeting so many people who were instrumental in me being cast in a primary role in the movie, “Lawless” with Shia Lebeouf in 2012 and singing at the White House in 2016 under the Obama Administration. The best is still yet to come!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh my goodness. It definitely has not been a smooth road. I have experienced some really difficult and heartbreaking situations that I never thought I would have to go through. I never thought about the journey so much as I did the heartbreaks which included a divorce, losing loved ones and a long-term relationship that I was romantically involved in. It is amazing how these type of events changed the way I sing because I started singing from a place of knowing the feeling of loss and heartbreak. It made the storytelling through singing even more believable. It is amazing how life does that to you.
Toni Byrd Music – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I call my business simply, Toni Byrd Music. I specialize in the performances of Jazz, R&B, Pop and I would love to one day sing with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in a Christmas program or something similar to that…I would do it for free, literally. I am known for my musical interpretations, style and just being an overall good vocalist that people come to hear and appreciate. I am most proud to be able to have my own brand and use my last name to honor my father, Reverend Lionel Richard Byrd. When I got divorced, I made sure to take back my maiden name for that purpose. To me, it keeps my father, who was also a singer, alive. Just being uniquely created by God sets me apart from others since He gave all of His creation something different yet special.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is doing what you love and I am doing just that which is a great accomplishment. I am continuing to look out for other amazing opportunities to continue doing what I love.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tonibyrd.net
- Email: tonibyrdmusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/57tbyrd/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ByrdSong/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/57tbyrd
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