Youth Gospel Choice Award Winner Antonio DeWayne McGaha (TONIO) is the hottest new talent in Gospel music today. This singer-songwriter, has musical roots that run deep. Hailing from Tishomingo MS, TONIO has been singing/performing since the tender age of 6. Born into a family of gifted musicians, singing and playing the drums, came second nature to TONIO, as his parents had he, and his equally gifted sister, singing and playing all over the Mississippi region.
Morehouse college brought TONIO to Atlanta, GA in 1997, but God had different plans for him and in 1999 he felt the overwhelming call to focus on creating and ministering with music. That same year, he became the Minister of Music at Koinonia Tabernacle where he currently leads the Voices of Light praise team. In December of 2005 he completed his first CD project entitled LOVE alongside the Voices of Light as singer, song writer, and vocal arranger.
In 2007 TONIO went to work on a solo project with Dove award winning producer Jamie Portee and his co-writer Ike "Boogie" Fillyaw. He released a 2 sided single in 2008 entitled Love is What We Need with a B side entitled Growth & Stability. Both Cd's feature Antonio's honest and authentic lyrics paired with his passionate vocals. By day he works with children with special needs, which helps fuel the understanding of our need in this society to LOVE and take care of our own.
You can hear a myriad of influences in his songwriting and vocal styling. From Fred Hammond and J. Moss to Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye. There are many who even compare him with music minister and pastor, Smokie Norful. He continues to flow in the stream of talent of those who've been in the business far longer than he's been alive. He calls his style Gospel Urban Soul for the R & B twinge that his music has, and his love of live instruments, which he prefers.
TONIO has been requested to minister all over Georgia and in the surrounding states of Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. He has ministered in venues such as: Just Churchin hosted by gospel recording artist Wanda Trent Phillips, The C Room- with national recording artist, Darlene McCoy host, The Annual Atlanta HBCU mixer, and the big Atlanta charity event, 500 Songs for Kids. In 2008 TONIO made his acting debut in the Gospel musical/play at Onstage Atlanta, The Dollhouse directed by singer/actor Brandin Jenkins, where he sang his way into the hearts of the 2 night packed house. He has been featured on Rev's Place TV Show in Columbus Ga, interviewed on WIGO 1570am The Light, by Dr. Kameron Stevenson, written about in ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DIGEST A PUBLICATION OF THE SPIRIT OF SWEET AUBURN, and given a full length feature write up in The Community News Flash NewsPaper
2008 proved to be an awesome year for TONIO's musical ventures as he performed at The Juneteenth Celebration, The Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival,and Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless . But the highlight of last year came when he was nominated for the Youth Gospel Choice Award for Best Male Artist and took home the prestigious award from the creators of the Gospel Choice Awards.
Antonio has started his own company called Life Music Entertainment, where he plans to expand his musical horizons. He is looking to start work on another solo project, armed with plenty of experiences and music and that he writes himself. TONIO states, "I feel as though music is the highest and purest form of expression. Through music I am able to express my intense passion for love, life and ultimately, God