Promise Keeper Dru Hill's Woody Rock embarcks on a solo career in gospel music -- just like he promised he would. by Teresa Lockhart   If there's any message Woody Rock has for his fans and friends, it's this: God is good.   As founding member of the chart-topping R&B group Dru Hill, Woody Rock has been blessed many times over. Not only has he been given a remarkable vocal ability that's helped propel Dru Hill's music to multi-platinum status, but he and the other group members have also been the centre of attention in the mainstream pop music world, racking up a myriad of accolades, including Billboard Music Awards, Soul Train Awards, and an NAACP Image Award.   When Woody went public with his decision to leave Dru Hill in 1999, many of his fans were shocked. Here was a young man, perhaps in the prime of his career, who was willing to walk away from the pinnacle of success to follow a stronger calling, a desire to turn his talents toward God through gospel music.   According to Woody, this decision was part of the plan all along.   "Gospel music was something that I always wanted to do. R&B was a foot in the door to get a record deal, but gospel music has been my first love," he explains. He adds that he and Sisqo, Jazz, and Nokio, the other members of Dru Hill, have always considered themselves solo artists but felt that by pooling their talents they could achieve success more quickly.   Though the four have now taken separate artistic paths, they continue to support one another and have agreed to appear on one another's projects, including Woody's new gospel project, aptly titled Soul Music.   Woody's gospel roots run deep. He remembers the influence his grandmother and mother had on him as a child. "I grew up in a really religious family, and my grandmother, instead of reading us comic books or Disney books, would read us Bible stories," he says.   Jesus, Abraham, Noah, and other notable characters became Woody's superheroes, and as a result of his upbringing, he dedicated his life to the Lord at a very early age. In fact, he was the youngest person in his church at that time to be baptized.   Woody's mother took him to church and taught him how to sing.   "I wasn't allowed to listen to secular stuff, but she would give me Jesus books and tapes and would also read to me from the Bible," he says. Eventually he began singing gospel at a variety of churches in the Baltimore, Maryland area.   But as Woody grew older, his attention turned away from God and toward girls.   "When I was in high school, I wasn't the cutest kid in the class or the best dresser or anything like that. The one thing that I had going for me was that I could sing," he says.   Then with a hint of mischief in his voice he adds, "Gospel music wasn't working too good to get the chicks, so I had to switch the dial and sneak and learn some songs on the FM station."   Woody's scheme succeeded. He and three of his high school buddies, who would later make up Dru Hill, found jobs in a fudge shop and would entertain their customers with their harmonies. Then the four appeared on the amateur Live at the Apollo TV show and caught the attention of not only the girls but that of music industry professionals who would offer them a record deal.   At first Woody's mother, Joan Green, wasn't happy about her son joining a secular music group, but she eventually supported his decision. Woody made her a promise that he'd return to gospel, and it's a promise he's kept.   Soul Music released this spring, and that has special significance for Woody. It was last spring that his mother died of liver failure.   Though it's been a difficult year for him, Woody says his faith has sustained him. "Since I've accepted Christ as my Saviour, I know I'll be able to see her again on the other side. That hope keeps me going."   It's this hope that Woody wants to share with others.   "I give God the glory for everything good that's happened in my life," he says, "but people who don't know Him yet might have trouble with that whole concept."   Woody hopes his past success in the R&B world will intrigue fans to check out his solo project, and maybe by listening to the words of his songs, they'll get to know Christ too.   Then with that familiar hint of mischief, he adds, "You know how when you go to eat and you get the appetizer first and it makes you want to eat something else? That's basically what I want to be. I want to be a buffalo wing. Hopefully, people will listen to what I've got to say, and then they'll want to hear more."   Woody wants to let everyone know it doesn't matter where you've been or what you've done. God can change and fix anybody's life. "That's what I want people to hear and know," he says. "And that's what Soul Music is all about." [LLN-Online] [Adopt-a-Block] [Newsbriefs][Event Calendar] [Lifestyles] [Juke Box] [Cover to Cover] [Movieguide][Casting the Net] [Viewpoints] [General Info] [Rates & Sizes][Marketplace/Classifieds] [Volunteer Ops] [Writing Guidelines] [Contact Us] [Subscribe][Archives][Good News] [About Us][Links]