Damien Sneed’s Tribute to Richard Smallwood on his 75th Birthday

This past Thursday, November 30, 2023, I had the awesome privilege of honoring my mentor Richard Smallwood on his 75th Birthday as a special surprise guest artist along with my other mentor Twinkie Clark in Maryland‼️ I will never forget the day I was leaving the Augusta Mall in my hometown and I turned on the radio of my white Mazda MX6 and heard Richard Smallwood on the radio being interviewed about the new release of his first project with Vision, ADORATION. I immediately started crying as asked God if He would open a door for me to attend Howard University so I could follow in the footsteps of Richard Smallwood‼️ I turned down over 25 full scholarships to other well-known colleges, universities and conservatories just to move to DC and attend Howard University. And to top all of that on my very first day in DC after my parents drove me up to Howard from Augusta, my friend Kevin Thompson and his mother picked me up from our hotel and took me to Metropolitan Baptist Church’s old DC location for the CD release of Richard Smallwood & Vision….I was in tears wondering how Kevin and his mother knew my private prayer to God. Well two years later, Richard gave me my first professional opportunity to accompany him at the Morgan State University Christmas concert directed by the late Dr. Nathan Carter. I’ll never forget my senior undergraduate recital at Howard with both of my mentors Richard & Twinkie in Childers Hall of the Howard University College of Fine Arts ‼️ Then after many one-on-one coachings and rehearsals at his house he asked me to start traveling and performing with him and Vision on a regular basis. I will always honor and cherish the years of support, guidance, mentorship, wisdom, love and inspiration from you Richard. I love and appreciate you and I thank God for making my private prayer while crying in my first car around 18 years old a reality with a life full of memorable moments. Jared Sawyers thank YOU for thinking of me and asking me to give a musical tribute to Richard‼️God has truly blessed me BEYOND what I could ever ask or think‼️❤️❤️ #DamienSneed #RichardSmallwood #mentor #mentee #TwinkieClark #HowardUniversity #answeredprayer #grateful #piano #classical #gospel #Yamaha

[@daphnewaldron-roach5768]

Phenomenal I enjoyed it to the max Damien ❤

[@jacksid13]

Great 🙏🏾

[@shyreeleverett2554]

Perfection! ❤

[@EdwinGHamiton]

Killing bro!

[@nsilentnite]

I was there that night in the highlands