Founder and Executive Director

Skip, a native of Gastonia, NC began his musical journey at an early age starting with the saxophone and eventually the euphonium (baritone) in high school. A now known saxophonist, Skip has played with several churches and groups over the years, including KRVE Band of Charlotte, Gethsemane Apostles and Prophets Church in Clover, SC and The Voices of Inspiration gospel choir in Marion, NC, just to name a few. Skip also performed on stage live with National Recording and Billboard’s #1 artist and saxophonist, Gabriel Bello in Charlotte, NC.

Although music is indeed his first love, it was his love on the court that propelled him from a graduate of Ashbrook High School in Gastonia, to a starting role as a freshman on the Old Dominion University Men’s Basketball team in Norfolk, Va. where he played 4 years on a full athletic scholarship and continued to play professionally in the NBDL and in Europe. However, with music never too far from his mind, he attributes accepting the scholarship offer to play at ODU to their excellent School of Music and his intensions of continuing his musical studies there.

Skip originally founded the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization New Journey Total Wellness Inc. in 2017 with the idea of helping young student-athletes prepare for High School, College and beyond. However, after re-evaluating the need and current abundant resources available to young student-athletes, in 2019 Skip decided to follow his heart and changed the organization's name and mission to Urban Music and Performing Arts Foundation Inc. Skip understands that while sports can be very rewarding and fulfilling, they last only a short while, whereas the gift of The Arts lasts a lifetime.