Born March 8th, 1977, this R&B crooner’s music is a mixture of blues, funk and rock with a slightly freakier, almost punk element (on his latest album). One day he heard music; maybe something like “When Doves Cry”, which he really loved and it opened his eyes up to music. Crediting his diverse taste in songs to his mother who supported his early musical interests. A talented singer, songwriter, composer, producer and musician, Van was raised in Dayton, Ohio, USA and is currently based in Atlanta and has learnt to play the drums, saxophone, guitar and keyboards. The voice followed, a smooth talker rumoured to have a good sense of humour. Van’s father played a major part in encouraging his musical career. Artists whom he admires are the likes of Muddy Waters, Thelonious Monk, James Brown, Prince, Duke Ellington and Ray Charles. Van moved From Ohio to Texas, from there to Atlanta in his early twenties (mid-nineties) to attend Morehouse College and began writing and producing for Dionne Farris and Raphael Saadiq, working with producer Dallas Austin.
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