Loudawaju is the stage name for singer/songwriter Lou Ward. He has released two singles in 2020: “I’ve Got To Try To Say Goodbye”, a ballad greatly influenced by the passing of Kobe Bryant; and the Christmas single, “It’s That Kind of Season”, recorded in January 2020 after originally being written in 1992.

Ward cites as main artistic influences such legends as Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Al Green, David Ruffin and Donny Hathaway. Ward has been singing since early childhood. His first accolade was in high school, winning the statewide Male Low Voice Competition by performing Paul Robeson’s “Old Man River.” He began penning his own songs soon after. He wrote songs in college and during his 10 year US Navy career. An agent for Sony Records with ties to the Apollo Theater heard Ward’s music and Ward was signed to an artist agreement with Sony in 1992. Circumstances intervened, sidetracking the possibility of a recording career at that time. Instead, Ward accepted the circumstances as a life indicator directing him to dedicate himself to his wife and family and focus on the responsibility of being a family man.

The music world was not done with him, however.

He decided he wanted karaoke for his 50th birthday. He and his wife were experiencing “empty nest” syndrome and were looking for a way to reintroduce themselves back into social circles. Karaoke proved to be a welcome, therapeutic venture, allowing Ward and his wife to build their singing and performance chops. He contacted his lifelong friend and musician extraordinaire, Jeffery McCullough, in 2017 about starting to record some of the songs that were written back in the 90’s. McCullough welcomed the idea and opportunity. Their music collaboration was reborn, made new, fresh and relevant thanks to McCullough’s creative musicianship and his producing engineering skills.

Sit back and listen to the music of Loudawaju that has been made timeless and should be welcomed and enjoyed by generation after generation.