Dr. Maria Watkins
CEO, Jewelstone Records
She wears her titles well - and, carries her responsibilities
better. A world traveler, master conductor, music publisher,
producer, educator, musician and singer, Mariea Watkins is
a passionate woman - passionate about music.
Watching her mother teach piano to neighborhood
kids in Crystal River, Florida, Mariea caught on and taught
herself to read notes. Her parents enrolled her in formal
lessons from an outside teacher. "But that didn't last
long; and my family really couldn't afford the lessons,"
Music was still her dream. And, that she would do.
In high school, she played the clarinet,
saxophone and trombone. She directed the junior choir at her
church, played piano, organ and she sang. She graduated from
high school with honors, worked her way to pay for her education
at the University of South Florida, in Tampa (earning a Bachelor's
degree in music, graduating summa cum laude). She did graduate
study and earned her advanced degree at the University of
Miami in The Music Business and Entertainment Industries.
Dr. Watkins' goal is to make a major new impact on the entertainment
industry, allowing new music and creative culture to rise;
and to promote and protect the artists that she represents.
Dr. Watkins accepted her first job to teach
music at Gulf Gate Elementary in Sarasota, FL in 1983. At
the end of the school term, Dr. Cynthia Porter offered and
challenged her with the opportunity to develop and implement
a music program at the Westcoast School for Human Development,
founded by her husband, Dr. Henry Porter. Mariea created the
very successful music program with instruction in chorus,
music and aural theory, class piano, strings and beginning
band. She served as the Dean of the H. L. Porter School of
Music for more than 16 years. Since 1984, she has served as
the music director for the Henry L. Porter Evangelistic Association,
Incorporated; and, has traveled nationwide with Bishop Henry
L. Porter, conducting workshops and seminars in the United
States and abroad. She led a seminar on composition, "The
Spiritual Song" at the University of Nsukka, Nigeria,
West Africa in November, 1992. Her start in the music industry
came as a result of looking for ways to preserve the beautiful
music written by Dr. Henry Porter and others she worked with
in the ministry.
She founded Mariea Watkins Music Company
in 1989, a print music publishing company. (The name changed
to Watkins Music Company in 1995). She expanded it into a
small music publishing company, where she now administers
some 2000 copyrights. She produced her first live recording
in 1992, "He's Real" with the reknown Westcoast
Gospel Chorus of Florida. On the nationally aired CBS "Street
Stories" with Ed Bradley, she conducted the school chorus
of The Westcoast School for Human Development.
She received a Doctor of Missions Degree
from Trinity College of Ministerial Arts, Aba, Abia State,
Nigeria (in conjunction with Golden State University, California),
an accomplishment of which she is particularly proud.
Dr. Watkins is an integral part of the premiere
concert artists, Dr. Henry Porter and The Love Campaign. In
December, 2000, at the invitation of President and Mrs. Clinton,
The HLP Love Campaign® performed at the White House.
She has given music consulting services
to the nationally televised Bobby Jones Gospel, and has served
on the Board of Director's for Florida's "Gosplosion",
Gospel Music Convention. She is a chapter representative for
the Gospel Music Workshop of America and is a member of The
Gospel Announcer's Guild. She has also worked as choral conductor
for the Christmas concert for Sparrow's recording artist,
Bryan Duncan, and for former Warner Brother's artist "Twinkle".
Maria has written music reviews for magazines in Florida and
has been featured as a soloist with full orchestra in Miami
on a unique Gospel concert with Elektra's Yolanda Adams.
February 2001, Bradenton Herald newspaper
feature article, "A Shining Light" was about Maria
Watkins and her outstanding contributions to the community
and for her amazing accomplishments. In October, 2001, she
participated in the "United As One" concert as one
of the choral directors, helping to raise more than $23,000
for the Sept. 11th fund.
Her latest ventures are her record company,
Jewelstone and her non-profit organization, the Center for
Music & Art Traditions, Inc. Mariea released "Keep
Making Tracks" and almost single-handedly got more than
400 radio stations to play the project throughout the U.S.
as well as in Europe. She is now seeking a label deal for
Jewelstone Records. Her faith in God continues her drive forward.
She features, "Music that does more than sound."
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