Thomas Demerritte on the cover!

Tommi D with foreword writer: hip-hop star DJ Khaled

Record producer Thomas Demerritte was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He studied music and played guitar in local bands while attending high school and college. After graduating from Florida State University with a Masters Degree in Public Administration, Demerritte worked as a Dade County government administrator for several years while also becoming involved in music production and operating a record label. He also worked as a studio session musician playing guitar and keyboards. Upon the lupus related death of his wife Evette, Tommi D, as he had become known in the industry, quit working for Dade County to pursue higher callings through the use of his God-given creative talents. After attending Miami Dade College for formal training in sound engineering to add to his background as a music producer, songwriter and musician, Demerritte formed a record label and built a recording studio which he called Tavette Entertainment Group. The name Tavette was derived in loving memory of his late wife (for Thomas and Evette). Through Tavette Records he released several CDs while managing and producing recording artists covering several different music genres. He also continued to provide recording and production services through his recording studios. His production of young hip-hop recording clients caused Demerritte to notice that not only did many of them not have any clue on what it took to succeed in the music business, most of them also did not know about the many behind-the-scenes music industry careers available. In 2002 this inspired Demerritte to begin the development of his nonprofit Alternative Directions Music Industry Training (ADMIT) Program (www.theadmitprogram.org) to teach kids about the different careers and strategies in the ever-changing music industry. His presentation of this prototype program led to him being featured on the cover in Black Enterprise magazine’s February 2003 issue. This popular award winning program, which provides youth development services to underprivileged and musically inclined kids in schools and programs throughout the Miami area, also lets them write and record their own positive songs to enhance their communities and encourage their peers. The idea behind his first book “That’s a Rap – A Music Industry Sourcebook for Generation Next” was to write a guidebook to serve as a teaching tool for the youths attending his ADMIT Program. He later decided to make it available for young people all over the world to get a better perspective on the business, technical and social responsibility aspects of the music business. This book signals a beginning of Demerritte’s new career as a spokesperson and public speaker to promote not only the book, but also the positive music principles outlined in the book and taught by the ADMIT Program. Tommi D still lives in Miami with his devoted wife Dahlia. He spends his limited spare time following Miami area sports (especially the Dolphins, Hurricanes, and Heat), fishing, making fresh beats and dreaming of new projects to elevate kids everywhere.