AJM BIOGRAPHY Anthony McKnight's musical career began when he was just a young boy, living in Charleston ,S.C. Both of his parents sang and had a musical family background and started various Gospel groups in the Charleston area. They formed a family gospel group appropriately named---The McKnight Brothers. Ant is the youngest son of Felix and Everlina McKnight. Anthony's father formed a local Gospel group named The Southern Gates. He is the 1st Cousin of James Jamerson, Motown's Legendary Bassist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee. James and Ant were raised in South Carolina and spent a lot of quality time together while growing up. Ant always had an ambition to sing. Even before high school, he was the lead vocalist of an all adult R & B band called: John Ford & the Swinging Southern Dukes. While in high school, Ant formed a 5 man vocal group called: The Dynamic Diamonds, and received numerous First Places Prizes at different High School talent shows. After high school, Ant joined the U.S. Navy and was assigned to his hometown, Charleston, S.C. During his assignment in Charleston, he join his old high school friends and reformed the singing group and changed their names to: The Black Velvets. After his tour in the Navy, Ant formed his owned band called: FreeStyle. It was during this time that his cousin, James Jamerson, heard his band and advised them to go into the studio and record a Demo tape. When the band members refused to make the demo, Ant decided to leave the band and started working at one of the local hospital. During this time, Ant met his beautiful wife, Mary and they have been happily married for more than 20 years. Ant and Mary decided to relocate to Washington,D.C. and he attended Medical School and worked for the V.A. Medical Center. In 1983 Ant received a call from his cousin Jamerson, inviting him to joined him in Los Angeles, California so that they could produce and album together. Anthony was in the process of going to LA and found out that James got sick and passed away shortly there after. Ant was devastated after the death of his cousin and refused to sing or perform for 2 years. After continuous persistence from his wife, Mary, Ant started to sing and perform again. He joined a local band in the DC area called: The Quebeck Band, and started recording for a local Production Studio (Triad Productions). Anthony made numerous trips to his hometown in South Carolina and reformed a 3 man vocal group named: The Black Velvets. Under Ants leadership, the group went into the studio and recorded their self-entitled Cd. As a result of the successful CD production, Ant and his wife relocated to Pawleys Island, S.C. and opened Oceanfront Productions Recording Studio and Brown-Mack Music Publishing Company (ASCAP). Ant has been inducted into The International Whos Who of Entrepreneurs (2000 Class) and currently serves as the Executive Director for the Motown Alumni Association of South Carolina. Hes currently working on a James Jamerson Tribute CD and a Gospel Project for his wife, Mary.