"THNX MOM"

On July 31, 1938, a daughter was born to Charlie Sr and Beulah Long named Joyce. She had one brother, Charlie Jr and they grew up and attended schools in Hillsborough, NC (Orange County). Music runs in our family, as my great uncle Rob played the organ at Mt. Bright Baptist Church. So, it's not surprising that the gift manifested itself in Joyce. In 1952, she was dating another man when she heard my dad sing. Well, that was the end of that relationship. My mom soon became pregnant with me as a teenager, married Samuel B. OBie and our journey began.....

She told me that even though I was conceived before marriage, that she loved me nonetheless. I was told many great truths that have anchored me throughout my life as well as many more wonderful things that have manifested. Mama, the only name I'd ever call her, was a creative cook and a woman of great faith. These two worked together in miraculous ways. There were times we had only a little food. But she would prepare the table and put pots on the stove to prepare what she had. Then, "miracously" my Great Uncle Clarence would show up with chicken, fish, pork chops and sausage (he worked at Neese's). Mama Beulah was a blessing (grandmother) to us in other ways as well. She worked as a domestic worker for a white lady named Mrs. Graham who would ask her our sizes and we would be the receipients of "brand new" clothing.......

Hillsborough, NC is hometown, however now reside in Charlotte, NC. At age 14, my late mother, Joyce OBie taught me to play the organ & started me on the path to being a professional musician traveling on the road with Shirley Caesar. She gave me Shirley's 1st lp "I'LL GO", telling me to learn the music & that I'd work for her someday. Three years later, this was fulfilled as she visited the church I was working, I played for her & was hired afterwards. This also opened up the gifting to write songs as this was also something I'd do, Shirley (1), Edwin Hawkins Seminar (3), John Kee (1), Revival Temple (1) & the John Howard Caravan (1) have recorded my songs on major labels. So, after years of being asked the question of where your gifting came from, I started putting thoughts together and now "THNX MOM" is the loving memory of the lady that wanted her children to be in the music industry. Salexo Music is my record label started in 1992, which allows my "talented family" to fulfill this word from mom. Amazon, CDBaby, iTunes & samuelobie.org showcase the music and soon this eBook.