Woody Rock
| Woody Rock | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | James Green |
| Born |
September 10, 1976 Baltimore, Maryland, US |
| Genres | R&B, gospel |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, Dancer |
| Instruments | Piano, singing |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Island, Mad Decent, Gospocentric |
| Associated acts | Dru Hill |
Woody Rock (born James Green on September 10, 1976 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an African-American singer, dancer, and musician who is best known as a former member of the 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.
Raised in a Christian 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, Tamir "Nokio the N-Tity" Ruffin, Mark "Sisqo" Andrews & fellow schoolmates Bravette Fleet & Chris Thomas formed an early incarnation of the group called 14 Karat Harmony and began performing around the Baltimore area & also appeared on Amateur Night at Showtime at the Apollo.. Originally a gospel group they eventually changed their name to Storm & then Legacy. They also switched from gospel to R&B which prompted Woody's mother to pull him out of the group. She ultimately allowed him to return to the group as a promise that he will return to his gospel roots. Member changes also took place as Bravette Fleet & Chris Thomas both left the group & Larry "Jazz" Anthony also of Baltimore and an opera student at Frederick Douglass High School joined the group after Nokio saw him singing in a school assembly.
Originally a gospel group, Dru Hill 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.
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