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To Mr Woo, the blues means everything. It’s his message of life, and his has a fast pace. So does his music. 

“You have to have a story to tell,” he said. “You have to be able to make people see your life.”

Montgomery’s own “Bad Boy of Blues” is coming on strong in his craft, dropping singles, a new video, and his new Southern soul album “Flesh and Blood.” 

“I still try to have my own lane, but it’s a party lane,” Mr Woo said, adding that he’s definitely after the 30 and up crowd. “I want to keep the grown folks partying and feeling good about themselves.” 

Back before the party started, Mr Woo was a kid named Terry Wooten, a New York native who grew up on the west side of Montgomery. For a while, Mr Woo said he went down a rough path. 

“I had my ups and downs. I was a young kid growing up around a lot of gang violence that kind of had me in and out of trouble, myself,” he said. 

Mr Woo’s a proud alumni of Sidney Lanier High School from 20 years ago, and credits his mom with lifting him up and straightening out his life. 

“I think she did a pretty good job,” he said. “Without her, I think I’d probably be locked up or probably dead, for real.” 

Having such a strong woman in his life may be part of the inspiration behind some of his singles.  

One of the new ones is “Woman,” which is most definitely not about his mom. Its one of several Mr Woo songs that revolve around grownup respect and relationships with women. The video for “Woman” has just been released. 

His latest single “New,New,” which releases Thursday, is a double relationship song – a new girlfriend verses an ex-girlfriend trying to come back. 

Though he’s a newcomer to Southern soul, Mr Woo’s no rookie to the business. He’s been at it for 20 years in one form or another, and said he first got into entertainment with a dance group when he was a teenager. From there, he bounced to rap. 

Southern soul and blues has been Mr Woo’s new calling over the past year. 

“I’m giving it to them deep, like blues is supposed to be,” he said. 

Though he’s going after the grown crowd, Mr Woo’s blues isn’t something sad or mellow to just sit down and listen. It’s full or energy, the kind of music you might exercise or dance to, he said. 

“I’m an energetic person, so I keep a lot of energy in my music as well,” he said. “I think that brings a little different vibe to blues. Everybody’s used to blues being more sad or mellow. With the energy I put in it, it pumps it up a little harder, a little faster. It gives it a different lane.” 

It’s been a difficult time to be an artist in any field right now during coronavirus conditions. 

“Coming out, you’re hot. You’ve got these shows booked up. That’s the way you’re feeding your family, and then you get six shows canceled,” Woo said. “It damages you for a minute, but I was built to bounce back.”

He’s in that bounce right now, booking new shows and touring in Texas, Georgia and Florida. 

“We’re putting the music out there real heavy,” Mr Woo said. 

Montgomery is still his home base, and you can catch him during a promotion in nearby Lowndes County on Sunday as part of the Independence Jam at Carnes Park, on Hwy. 80 in White Hall. Also among the guests that day are O.B. Buchana, Lomax, Bigg Robb, Fat Daddy, Avail Hollywood and Lou Battle. Gates open at noon, and the show starts at 2 p.m. 

“It’s the Mother’s Day concert that got pushed back to July,” Mr Woo said. 

For ticket info on Independence Jam, contact Killa at 334-5493443 or Darryl E at 334-235-1057. 

“Right now through the summertime, I’ve got events for kids coming up,” Mr Woo said. His youth foundation runs a free annual summer camp.

“The kids love the music, too. They love the fast-paced blues music,” Mr Woo said. “That’s how I know when I have hits, when those kids love to dance to it first.” 

Mr Woo’s music is available on major streaming platforms. Follow him online on Facebook @MrWOO334, Instagram at terrywooten334, and on his YouTube channel under Mr Woo. 

For booking information, call Ron Shuford of Rutkus Management at 334-220-5305. 

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel at sheupel@gannett.com.

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