As a kid—from 3rd grade to high school—I used to drive my mom crazy by reminding her,
“I’m a rock star, baby. Yes, I’m a rock star.”
She sighed and said,
“Yeah, I know. Now go wash them dishes and take out the garbage, Mr. Rock Star.”
I remember at 13 years old having a conversation with my mother, and I expressed to her how bad I wanted to be a successful musician. Then she asked me,
“What would make you successful—would it be fortune and fame?”
I said,
“No, Mom. I have two simple goals, and if I achieve these goals, I would consider myself successful. But more importantly, I want to know: if I can achieve these goals, would you be proud of me?”
She asked,
“Son, what are your goals?”
Then I began to share. I said my first goal is to play my bass guitar on a stage in front of 1,000 people. The reason for this is, growing up playing with a quartet group in different churches, the most we ever played for was 25 to 30 people. If it was a church anniversary program, we were lucky if there were 100 people in the audience. So the idea of playing my bass in front of 1,000 people—that was huge for me back then.
Then I went on to share my second goal.
I said,
“Mom, you know how I try and write songs and produce my own music?”
She said,
“Yes, you do try—and you try hard. Keep working on it.”
I told her I wanted to be a songwriter and a producer someday.
I said,
“A dream of mine would be to have two artists record two songs that I write and produce.”
She asked,
“Do the artists have to be famous?”
I told her,
“No. It could be the milkman, the neighbor, or the mailman—it doesn’t matter.”
I told her I wanted to feel the experience of two other people feeling what I created in my thoughts, my heart, and in my head.
Then I asked her again,
“If I was to accomplish these goals, would you be proud of me?”
She said,
“I’m already proud of you. But yes—and when you reach these goals (and you will, through God’s grace), you must make me a promise.”
She continued,
“You must never forget where you came from, and you must always give it back and help others. If you promise me that, then I will be extremely proud—and grateful—that you are my son.”
AFTER 40 YEARS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, God has blessed me to write and produce songs for some of the greatest artists in the world—songs that have sold millions of records, both nationally and internationally. As a bass player, God continued to bless me to perform on stages around the world, in front of millions.
So not only did I meet my two childhood goals...
I surpassed them.
But most importantly, I was able to keep my promise to my mother by giving back and helping as many people as I could over my 40-year career. This made my mother extremely proud.
The purpose for The DOA Academy is to continue the promise I made to God and to my mother. My vision is to give back to the kids everything that God has given to me—by sharing those who I’ve learned from, who I have taught, people that inspired me, and people who have blessed my life.
If I had one wish, I wish I had shared my dream of The DOA Academy of the Arts with my mother. I only kept it from her because I wanted it to be a surprise. Unfortunately, my mom, Ora Lee Allen, passed away before the dream became a reality.
But I’m sure she’s looking down on me and everyone associated with The DOA Academy of the Arts, continuing to be proud.
- Derek DOA Allen, Founder & CEO