Two singer/songwriters with disabilities land their first record deal

Two Metro Detroit singer/songwriters, one wheelchair-bound from a drive-by shooting, the other paralyzed from a car accident, landed their first record contract with RL Recordings in December.

Allan Floyd, a singer, songwriter and producer with decades of experience making music, and Tony Banks, a singer and composer, were both signed to one-year contracts with Detroit's RL Recordings label at a holiday party given by Danny's Miracle Angel Network (D-MAN) Foundation.

Both Metro Detroit artists are long-time clients of the D-MAN Foundation's Music Therapy Program: a nonprofit program that helps enrich the lives of people with severe physical and mental disabilities through music therapy at their state-of-the-art assistive technology studio in Berkley, Mich.

The studio allows people with severe disabilities, like quadriplegia, to use computers and special equipment to record and produce their own music hands-free.

Floyd is a D-MAN ambassador that has been composing and performing original R&B and various styles of music at the D-MAN studios for years. Floyd suffered a spinal cord injury after a rear-end collision.

"I was at a red light with a car in front of me and someone plowed into the back of me, causing a spinal cord C3 injury," he said. "A spinal shot, cardiac arrest, I flatlined four times."

Despite being paralyzed from the shoulders down however, he has been producing and performing his original music at D-MAN studios since their music therapy program launched.

Banks was born and raised in Detroit. He was the victim of a drive-by shooting that injured his spinal cord at the age of 18. Tony, who joined D-MAN's music therapy program in 2015, finds inspiration through music and faith and hopes to relay an uplifting message to others through his rap and hip hop music. 

"Allan and Tony are incredibly talented musicians who have shown us all what 'is' possible, even in the face of life's biggest challenges," said D-MAN Founder and Chairman, Ziad Kassab. "They have overcome so many obstacles to pursue their passion for music. We couldn't be prouder of them, or happier for their accomplishments with this record deal."

Their new recording contracts, which start in January, 2019, will give Banks and Floyd national and worldwide distribution with RL Recordings.

The two artists will also receive a profile page at rlrecordings.com, a music magazine feature and social and digital promotion with the record label.

Banks and Floyd have been performing their original songs live at D-MAN events around town and have also been featured on D-MAN albums.