Woody Rock
Encyclopedia
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Woody Rock is an African-American singer and musician
. Woody is best known as a former member of multi-platinum
R&B act Dru Hill
, a group for which he has written and sung lead on songs such as "5 Steps", "April Showers", and "Angel". He has also recorded his own solo gospel album, Soul Music, for Kirk Franklin
's Gospocentric Records. His nickname was derived from his father saying he resembled the Woody Woodpecker
cartoon
character.
family, as a child Woody Rock (né James Green) was reportedly only allowed to listen to gospel music. He met future Dru Hill bandmate Mark "Sisqó" Andrews
in middle school
, and in 1992, he, Sisqó, Larry "Jazz" Anthony, and Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin founded the group and began performing around the Baltimore area.
soon moved into R&B, to the chagrin of Woody's mother, Joan Green, who promptly and literally pulled the 15-year-old out of the group. Only with great reluctance did she allow Woody to rejoin the group, which was signed to Island Records
in 1996.
Woody served as the group's primary songwriter during its early days, and has always been as the group's most religious member. While Dru Hill enjoyed mainstream success during the late-1990s, He felt uneasy about leaving gospel music behind. After the group had to dodge gunshots while on tour in Paris, France, he became convinced that he needed to leave the group, and quit on the set of the music video
shoot for "Wild Wild West", a Will Smith
song which featured Dru Hill as guest vocalists.
album and its singles.
Woody got a release from Def Jam for his solo deal, and issued Soul Music on Kirk Franklin
's Gospocentric Records in May 2002. The album was moderately successful within the gospel scene, reaching #5 on the gospel charts. Soul Music was dedicated to the memory of Woody's mother, who died of liver disease
the year before, and features Woody's cover version
of her favorite gospel song, "I Won't Complain".
More recently, Woody contributed vocals to DJ Blaqstarr
's Supastarr EP, released through DJ/producer Diplo's Mad Decent
label. He and fellow Dru Hill
members Larry "Jazz" Anthony and Scola have formed a side group called 3 Da Hardway and are touring oversees in Germany. Jazz however wanted to only focus on Dru Hill and his younger brother Marcus Anthony aka G-Man took his place.
Woody Rock is an African-American singer and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. Woody is best known as a former member of multi-platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
R&B act Dru Hill
Dru Hill
Dru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
, a group for which he has written and sung lead on songs such as "5 Steps", "April Showers", and "Angel". He has also recorded his own solo gospel album, Soul Music, for Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
's Gospocentric Records. His nickname was derived from his father saying he resembled the Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker is an animated cartoon character, an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker who appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio and distributed by Universal Pictures...
cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
character.
Early life
Raised in a ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
family, as a child Woody Rock (né James Green) was reportedly only allowed to listen to gospel music. He met future Dru Hill bandmate Mark "Sisqó" Andrews
Sisqó
Mark Durrell Andrews , known by his stage name Sisqó, is an American R&B singer and actor. He is best known as the lead singer of R&B group Dru Hill, and also for "Thong Song", a song from his first solo LP, Unleash the Dragon, that became an international hit. - Biography :Sisqó was born Mark...
in middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
, and in 1992, he, Sisqó, Larry "Jazz" Anthony, and Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin founded the group and began performing around the Baltimore area.
Dru Hill
Originally a gospel group, Dru HillDru Hill
Dru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
soon moved into R&B, to the chagrin of Woody's mother, Joan Green, who promptly and literally pulled the 15-year-old out of the group. Only with great reluctance did she allow Woody to rejoin the group, which was signed to Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
in 1996.
Woody served as the group's primary songwriter during its early days, and has always been as the group's most religious member. While Dru Hill enjoyed mainstream success during the late-1990s, He felt uneasy about leaving gospel music behind. After the group had to dodge gunshots while on tour in Paris, France, he became convinced that he needed to leave the group, and quit on the set of the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
shoot for "Wild Wild West", a Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
song which featured Dru Hill as guest vocalists.
Solo career
Dru Hill tried to continue as a trio, but decided that they needed Woody back in the group. Newly reorganized Island Def Jam Records set up the "Dru World Order" project, allowing each member to record a solo album before the next Dru Hill album was recorded in November 2000. Woody recorded his debut solo album, Soul Music, but its release was continually delayed by Def Jam/ Def Soul, because of the success of Sisqó's Unleash the DragonUnleash the Dragon
-Chart and singles history:...
album and its singles.
Woody got a release from Def Jam for his solo deal, and issued Soul Music on Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
's Gospocentric Records in May 2002. The album was moderately successful within the gospel scene, reaching #5 on the gospel charts. Soul Music was dedicated to the memory of Woody's mother, who died of liver disease
Liver disease
Liver disease is a broad term describing any single number of diseases affecting the liver.-Diseases:* Hepatitis, inflammation of the liver, caused mainly by various viruses but also by some poisons , autoimmunity or hereditary conditions...
the year before, and features Woody's cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of her favorite gospel song, "I Won't Complain".
Re-joining Dru Hill
After the release of Soul Music, Woody returned to Def Soul and re-joined Dru Hill for the Dru World Order LP. That album's "My Angel" is a dedication to his mother, and precedes "How Could You," a gospel song.More recently, Woody contributed vocals to DJ Blaqstarr
Blaqstarr
Charles Smith, better known as Blaqstarr or DJ Blaqstarr, is a Baltimore, Maryland area rapper, singer, producer, and DJ...
's Supastarr EP, released through DJ/producer Diplo's Mad Decent
Mad Decent
__FORCETOC__Mad Decent is the name of the Philadelphia via Los Angeles based record label spearheaded by Thomas Wesley Pentz, who's better known as Diplo, the Grammy-nominated producer of M.I.A’s “Paper Planes”, and one half of the collaborative music project Major Lazer...
label. He and fellow Dru Hill
Dru Hill
Dru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
members Larry "Jazz" Anthony and Scola have formed a side group called 3 Da Hardway and are touring oversees in Germany. Jazz however wanted to only focus on Dru Hill and his younger brother Marcus Anthony aka G-Man took his place.
Singles
- 2000: "My Homie" (featuring Dru HillDru HillDru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
) - 2002: "A New Thing" (featuring Natalie Wilson & the S.O.P. Chorale)