“My mom bought me a notebook and guitar for my 6th birthday and I didn’t really like it at all because I wanted to be in sports like my big brother. She noticed my passion for music at an early age before anyone else (including me) did. My mom, Darlene Burns, lost her battle with cancer four months later. After she passed, I finally realized what she meant with the birthday gift.”

 

Terrell Burns, born Shedric Terrell Lee Jr, first understood his love for music through church. Around the age of 7, Terrell attended services regularly with his grandmother. Initally, Terrell wasn’t very interested in the service and would fall asleep. Grandma wasn’t having it and told him he needed to find something that interests him to occupy his time in church instead of sleeping. At the time, the church choir didn’t have a piano player. Terrell took interest in playing the piano, taught himself how to play, and became a musician for the choir. Soon after the choir became void of a drummer and again out of necessity the interest sparked and Terrell picked up the drums.

 

During this time Terrell was living with his grandmother in Cleveland, Mississippi. His Uncle O’So relocated and moved back in with them. Uncle O’So was a rapper, engineer, songwriter, and had a home studio. This transition set the stage for Terrell’s interest in singing and rapping to spark and gave him first hand training and experience with recording and engineering. 

 

Life was great and things were going well until the age of 13, when he experienced another loss. His big cousin and mentor Kolby was tragically murdered at the age of 24. Kolby introduced Terrell to knowledge and showed him the importance of education. These principals stuck with Terrell and changed the trajectory of his life in ways in he couldn’t imagine.

 

At 15, Terrell’s father was released from prison and relocated to Springfield, Illinois. There Terrell began attending Springfield Southeast High School. He participated in the school talent show and won second place. A local record label recognized Terrell’s talent and gave him an opportunity to sign with the label.

 

Since then Terrell has evolved into an artist, musician, producer and engineer who's released countless songs narrating his experiences going by the stage name Terrell Burns in honor of his mother.