Ol’ Skool: Back Like They Never Left
Please introduce for me the members of Ol’ Skool…
The members: Bobby Crawford, C J Jefferson, Tony Herron, Jason Little.
What all exactly had / have y’all been up to, both personally and professionally speaking, during this lengthy musical hiatus?
We’ve all been just living life and working on different projects, but we’ve always stayed in tune with music. We’ve been performing, writing, recording and producing. All in our own different ways, and as well as together.
What was it about now – in 2022 specifically – that prompted y’all to return to form?
We just felt like now was the perfect time. We got a call from Bobby saying, “let’s get back out there!”
Now you all are also natives of St. Louis, Missouri, correct? So growing up in ‘The Lou,’ who all did / do you all consider to be your strongest musical influences?
Yes, we’re all from St. Louis, MO. There are so many musical influences. We’ve worked with Dennis Edwards and The Temptations and, you know, obviously that was a big influence on us. Other than that; Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Wilson, Michael Jackson, Prince, Teddy Riley, Marvin Gaye and The Spinners; just to name a few.
At what point in time did you all even opt to pursue music on a professional basis?
It was in the ‘90’s when we decided to pursue music professionally.
With that being said, how do you all classify your overall sound and / or style?
Our style is sexy, soulful and relatable. And if you listen to our songs, they tell a story.
When you all sit down to pen your lyrics, where do you all draw your inspiration(s) from?
And, what’s that whole creative (studio) process like for you all?
Our inspiration comes from the heart, as well as life experiences and relationships. Well, Bobby comes up with a track and from there we just vibe together and start carving out the songs.
What particular string of events actually led to y’all’s initial linking up with Mr. Keith Sweat, and later signing to / with Universal Records?
A friend of ours from St. Louis gave our demo to Partnerz in Kryme, and they took our demo to Keith Sweat and we got the deal…and the rest is history.
Photo Credit: Courtney Bush
Switching gears here, what exactly do you all want people to get from your music?
We want them to get that good R&B sound that you can feel in your soul.
If you all could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Michael Jackson.
If you all could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?
We would love to perform at Madison Square Garden because it’s an iconic place, and it would be a dream come true.
In terms of longevity, what do you all feel it is that will continue to sustain you in this grueling industry?
Just to be true to the essence of real R&B. It will always find a place in a R&B lover’s heart.
Do you all have any other outside / additional future aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment?
C J would like to open a Cigar Lounge and an upscale hat store, Tony has aspirations of turning rental properties into Air BnB’s, Bobby is also interested in owning different real estate property and investments, and Jason has a fragrance line and wants to produce movies.
On a more serious note, are you all happy with the current state of R&B?
Yes, there’s room for everything.
To date, what has been your biggest career moment(s), at least thus far anyway?
Performing on Soul Train with Xscape, and also performing with Keith Sweat.
“Am I Dreaming,” featuring Keith Sweat & Xscape, is a bonafide R&B classic — How did this particular composition come about? Who came up with its concept? And, please describe for me the overall studio vibe on that fateful day?
Keith Sweat came up with the concept, and we didn’t record in the studio together.
Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you all see yourselves?
Being successful in the industry; singing, writing and producing…and also in our own business adventures.
As for the immediate, what’s next for Ol’ Skool?
We have a new single called, “Try Love” (that dropped) to all the streaming platforms (last) Friday, December 2nd. It’s on the radio now, and we just shot a music video for it.
Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?
No, you had some great questions.
Any “closing” thought(s) for our readers?
We just want everyone to know that we’re back, and we have some new and exciting things for you. And we hope to be coming to a city near you very, very, soon.
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