Blessed

I’m blessed to have an example of a man in my life that to me, is unequal.  My father Travis Johnson III aka. Minister Buddy Travis, is someone who personifies personal evolution.  He began his life in a small section of Houston, Texas called Studiwood (sp?), singing in the church.  As an adult he traveled the country as a soul singer in a group called Buddy and Stacy, then later in Oakland with The Ballads.  Buddy and Stacy however, was my father’s Self Scientific.  His partner in the group, Stacy was also my father’s best friend.  Stacey died a tragic death, before I was born. We never got to meet, but I feel like I know him.  For years my father would tell me hundreds of stories about their times together on the road with legendary acts such as Fats Domino, Little Richard and more. My father would always talk about how he knew Jimi Hendrix personally, “Yeah, Jimi was my seatmate on the bus wit Lil Richard”. Of course I believed my father because, as a child I grew up seeing Little Richard, The Temptations, so many people at MY house on ocassion (whole nother story)…but I never knew if was exaggerating a lil’ bit.  Until the day some footage emerges from nowhere of my father in 1965 on a television program in Memphis called Night Train, (which later was bought and turned into Soul Train).  There he was. . . right beside his partner Stacey, performing “Shotgun” with young Jimi Hendrix in the background, playing guitar.

My father is now a Christian Minister and Gospel singer that performs , and records under the name Minister Buddy Travis.  He has found what he considers to be his personal calling, delivering ministry to people through his gift of music.  As a man it is healthy to see your own father grow through a series of changes and developments, it lets you know it’s okay to evolve yourself.  I’m blessed.