Urban Teen Magazine Celebrity Interview with Evan "Skinny E" McKeel!

I was raised in Richmond, VA, and boy do I love my city. There's so much musical diversity and art, so it's no surprise that I fell in love with music, and wanted to be a creator. I grew up in a creative arts church that gave me opportunities to learn and grow, and constantly encouraged me and affirmed my gifts. I sang in choirs singing old church hymns, rock music, gospel and soul, and I was stretched to be able to sing different kinds of music.

When I was still a kid my parents gave me a brand new vinyl record player for christmas, along with many boxes of old records, and I began to discover music in a broader view, outside just the lens of church. I listened to Hank Williams, Carole King, Michael McDonald, James Taylor, and so many great artists, and reached my defining moment when I decided "This is what I want to do." My Dad taught me to play guitar, and I began writing my own songs, finding influence from artists like M.Ward, Beck, Stevie Wonder, and Ray LaMontagne.