I didn’t plan to return to music this way.

In fact, I didn’t plan to return at all.

But over 400 comments later, here I am: an artist turned professional caregiver and educator, building a home at the intersection of art and holistic education.

WHY THIS EXISTS
(and why now)

I’ve been writing and composing music since I was a kid in Greenville, South Carolina—quietly building a private vault of thousands of songs across decades, genres, and seasons of life. That work carried me from my early music career in Nashville through a series of life-changing detours: mystical experiences in the basement of a Pentecostal home church, co-therapy with my mom, ashrams in India, unplanned parenthood in Mexico City, and finally a small kindergarten in Kunming, China.Each chapter reshaped what I thought my life would be.For years, music and teaching ran in parallel.
Then they collided.I began freelancing—writing and recording children’s music for clients worldwide. I created songs for schools, curricula, families, and brands; contributed voiceover to projects like TIME for Kids China; translated and sang Spanish-language vocals for Australian children’s music powerhouse The Mik Maks; and composed a retro 80s-synth rock soundtrack for Season Three of Black Lion & Cubs, an all-Black, family-friendly comic series created by my longtime collaborator, Hotep.As fatherhood and education became my grounding path, music became the way I made meaning inside of it. That collision eventually carried me into the kindergarten where I work today—where I learned to teach music and choir, and discovered holistic education in practice.To give myself fully to that work, I had to step away from my art and go quiet.For a while, I gave it up.And then “a while” became years…Until now.This summer, I met someone who saw me clearly—who recognized the art I had set aside and challenged the way I had learned to hide it. That encounter reopened a door I thought I had closed for good.Walking through this door isn’t a comeback.
It’s a return—with purpose.I’m not stepping back into music to escape education, but to build a foundation for a lifelong career within it. What you’re encountering now—these songs, words, and fragments—is the first broadcast from that private vault: confessional artistic work released on its own terms.Each piece carries its own emotional color, tied to a real chapter of my life.
I call this universe of songs, poetry, prose, and spoken word The Color Wheel.This could be enough by itself.
But it’s the front door.Over time, the art stops being the product and becomes the engine—creating the freedom and resources to build something far more durable: an education practice rooted in care, creativity, and real classroom experience, starting where I teach now and growing outward from there.My hope is that this work creates enough momentum to let me move from the classroom into designing learning itself — shaping environments, stories, systems and experiences rather than just delivering lessons.The long-term work isn’t fame or tour buses. It’s the momentum in that Creative Director position that leads to a sustainable education business—shaped by lived experience, fatherhood, and over a decade in the classroom—designed to help people reconnect with their own holistic creativity.The art opens the door.
The work beyond gives it meaning.
But it’s the people I meet along the way who bring both to life.If you’re one of those people, you’re early. In fact, you’re first. This is Level One.So now you know where you are.
Let me show you the map.

The Next 90 Days…

The next 90 days are about opening the door—slowly, intentionally—and finding a small family of like-minded folk to walk with me as The Color Wheel goes public.You are one of those people.And the space I’ve created for you is called The First Circle.It’s not just an email list—it’s an early-access community with layered perks and opportunities that won’t exist this way again once the project grows.If you’re here now, most of what follows is free for you. Some of it won’t stay that way.The First Circle is explained below. For now let’s get oriented to what it looks like in the beginning.This page and the posts leading to it mark the first visible phase of a longer body of work that carries into 2026 and beyond.There’s also a small body of older work—songs, videos, fragments, experiments—scattered across a few unassuming corners of the internet. Over time, I’ll guide you to all of it.But you didn’t come here for everything.You came because you liked one song.So that’s what we’re starting with on day one.If you already know you want the song, you can jump ahead to the email form below. Otherwise, keep reading—I’ll take care of you.A lot of you asked for more. I said I’d bring it — not just the one song today, but for the long haul.So let’s talk about everything that opens up because you put in the effort to scroll this far…

What Opens If You’re Here Early

Before anything else, I want to give you that one song—and a little more.That song is where this begins. It’s nearly two decades old. Which means everything that comes next spans a long, winding creative journey—with plenty of surprises still waiting in the wings, and plenty of room to grow.To bring you into that journey, we just need a way to stay connected, which for many, is email:
(if email’s not for you, scroll on)

If your inbox has…seen some things…you’re in good company. I’ve listed other options further down. But before that, here’s what opens up—exclusively through this page—once we connect:


PERKS FOR BEING HERE FIRST:


🎶 Full version of the unreleased song that brought you here (delivered first, yours forever)


🎟️ Early access to new music in 2026
6–12 singles, sometimes in multiple versions


🎥 Exclusive video commentary on my 17-episode LEGO origin story
(lo-fi Toy Story energy meets indie-folk myth and humor)


🧍🧍 BTS access to collaborations with
Hotep (Black Lion & Cubs), Vilai Harrington (classic country duo), and others as they emerge


🔦 Spotlight on undiscovered artists from my community
(nobody knows they exist and I think they’re all better than me)


🎪 The First Circle – Basic Tier
Lifetime perks for being here first


🎸🎲 2026 Song Raffle
Six people win a free custom song.
One entry per person—you can earn more entries though…see below.———All of this is free and intentionally slow paced.After all, we just met.
Let me do the work first.

Other Ways to Connect

You don’t have to make the perfect choice, just choose what actually works for your life:Email List
If you happened to scroll past in a rush (I do it too), you’ll see the email form again further down.DMs on TikTok or Insta
Be honest—some of you are like me—best intentions…and 3k+ unopened 🙈 emails. I bet even your Dad and Paul McCartney are buried in there somewhere!Reddit / Discord (beta)
A communal space for those who want it—DM or email me “community” for access.


Manual Care
Some of you aren’t very tech-savvy. I get it—I’ve helped Aunt Mary sort out her iPhone settings more than once.So if none of the options above work for you, you can email me directly and I’ll set you up manually. My email is at the bottom of the page—no forms, no new software with weird names, no head-scratching. Just a human on the other end who values connection over convenience.

Now, whether you’re able to give financially or not, if all this value resonates, you might feel moved to give something back. Let’s start with what you can do for free.

How You Can Help (Without Spending A Cent)

Money isn’t the most important thing right now—though there is a meaningful way to support the work if you’re able just down below.What I need today—what I truly need—is people.So if my music moves you, here’s how you can move it: share it with people you care about.Independent artists grow through real people and real relationships—not ads, not algorithms. My early success will all be thanks to you.To show my thanks for word-of-mouth support…I offer real perks:💬 Share it privately 1:1
→ 2 additional raffle entries each
→ First Circle middle-tier access📣 Share it publicly on your socials
→ 4 additional entries per post
→ First Circle premium-tier accessNo scripts. No hashtags. No price tag.Just your voice.Because that’s more valuable to me than your wallet, and it’s how you carry my art into your communities—where art belongs.(( details listed below ))

How to Support Financially

If you’re in a position to do more, you can support the work by paying what you want for the song that brought you here.No subscriptions.
No expectations.
No pressure.That said, I know some people feel a natural pull to give more when something resonates—and I want to honor that impulse without turning this into a sales funnel.Behind this one song is my private vault of over 2,000 unreleased pieces. So instead of a single “buy” button, I’ve created a simple, transparent set of support tiers for those who want to go a little deeper—and receive something meaningful in return.These tiers aren’t about status.
They’re about trust, access, and timing.If you choose to give above the average, you’re not just supporting a song—you’re helping me meet real, immediate needs—personal and professional—and opening the vault a little wider.Here’s how it works:$ — Listener
$1–$9 (most people choose $3)
You get the song you came for and a few others I won’t release for a long time$$ — Supporter
$10–$99 (most people choose $25)
You get all the above + a one song long private live stream zoom concert & chat for a special event of your choosing (birthday, holiday, graduation, etc)$$$ — Sustainer
$100–$999 (most people choose $100)
You get all of the above + a five song long private live stream zoom concert & 10 extra unreleased songs$$$$ — Patron
$1,000+
You get all of the above + one or more custom songs in a genre and theme of your choosing. Meaning I treat you just like my clients I used to produce for; we build a song that brings you joy together, step by step, revisions included. Limited to one custom song per month (up to 12 per year), first come, first served.


WHERE THE MONEY GOES:I believe people deserve to know where their support goes, so here’s full transparency:My most immediate goal is funding a round-trip flight to the U.S. this February so my children and I can visit my mom, who is currently ill. We haven’t seen her since the summer of 2024, and being together with her grandchildren while she struggles matters deeply to me. If I raise the necessary funds, I’ll be sure to document and share the adventure so you can see your support unfold in real time.While in the States, I’ll also take care of time-sensitive infrastructure for both my artist and education work, which will set the stage for some of my most important plans in 2026.Any support beyond that goes directly into developing and sharing this music with a wider audience throughout 2026.Whether you support financially or not—by listening, sharing, or simply staying close—you’re already part of the work, because you’re reading this.If you made it this far, from the bottom of my heart, thank you—and welcome to The Color Wheel.

Here’s Everything You Need To Move Forward Now

THE FIRST CIRCLE MEMBERSHIP TIERS① FIRST CIRCLE — BASIC
(Unlocked by connecting via one of the options on this page)Purpose: Belonging + access + trust
Cost: Free (email / DM / early presence)Benefits:
• Early access to new releases (before public)
• Voting rights on future releases (songs, versions, order)
• Private voice memos + informal updates (process, not polish)
• 1 entry into the annual Song Raffle
• 5% lifetime discount on future music + merch⸻② FIRST CIRCLE — INNER RING
(Unlocked via meaningful sharing / word of mouth)Purpose: Participation + intimacy
Cost: Earned, not paidBenefits:
Everything in Basic, plus:
• One backstage pass (if touring ever happens)
• Deeper voting rights (shortlists, early demos, vault pulls)
• One private livestream concert (group, not individual)
• 10% lifetime discount on music + merch
• One short private video in 2026
(birthday song, silly improv song, for you or someone special — 30–60s max)
• Priority access to limited merch runs or tickets⸻③ FIRST CIRCLE — CORE
(Very limited, rare access)Purpose: Stewardship + co-creation
Cost: Rarely granted (top supporters / major evangelists)Benefits:
Everything above, plus:• 2 backstage passes
• 3 votes instead of 1 (for fan-led releases)
• Occasional closed-door group listening sessions
• One custom extended private video in 2026
• 15% lifetime discount
• Guaranteed access to any future paid product, service, community, or course at founder pricing⸻HOW TO STAY CONNECTED
Sign up for the email list (or go for DMs/direct email below)

Links to TikTok/Insta directly under this section if you prefer DMs⸻COMMUNITY SPACES (optional/beta)Email or DM me “community” for links to private Reddit or Discord spaces where we can get to know each other.⸻THE 2026 SONG RAFFLEPrizes
• 1st Prize: A fully customized, professionally produced keepsake song co-written with Garris.
• 2nd Prize: A personalized children’s song in English, Mandarin, or Spanish.
• 3rd Prize: Three winners receive unplugged acoustic keepsake songs—intimate voice-and-guitar recordings for personal milestones or loved ones.Terms & Conditions at the very bottom for sanity’s sake.⸻
WORD OF MOUTH PERKS
Get extra entries in the 2026 Song Raffle just for spreading the word.• Share privately — send the raffle link to a friend who’d love it and I’ll give you and your friend 2 extra entries in the raffle. Just screenshot their response and send to me, I’ll take care of the backend.• Share publicly — post it to your socials, story, or group chats, tag me or screenshot and send over, and I’ll give you 4 extra entries for every person you bring onto the email list/DMs/direct email connection this page is built for.Each verified share gives you additional chances to win one of the custom song prizes.
No bots, no gimmicks — just genuine word-of-mouth support that helps this project grow from the ground up.✨ There’s no cap on this. The more you share, the more entries you earn.⸻
LINKS TO MY SOCIALS TO DM ME NOW:

• TikTok
• Instagram

⸻My email for manual care only:
[email protected]⸻CLOSING NOTEI know this was a lot.But now you’re not just a comment on a video—you’re part of this world. Part of a living, holistically creative ecosystem that I’m building slowly, honestly, and with care.I hope we cross paths online, in conversation, or one day at a show—and that, years from now, we can look back on the strange and beautiful turns our lives took and see that The Color Wheel was woven into those stories in ways neither of us could’ve planned.Thank you for being here at the beginning.In full color (and with lots of love),
-Garris.

Song Raffle Terms & Conditions:1. No purchase necessary.
Entering is free and open to anyone 18+ worldwide.2. How to enter.
Submit your email or connect on socials via DMs using the email submission form and instructions provided on this page. Optional bonus entries may be offered for supporting activities (e.g., word-of-mouth promotion in person or on social media), but these are never required to enter.3. Prizes.
Prizes include one personalized full song production, one personalized children’s song, and three personalized acoustic keepsake songs. Prizes have no cash value and cannot be transferred, exchanged, or sold.4. Selection of winners.
Winners will be chosen at random from all valid entries in late January or early February of 2026. Winners will be notified via email or DMs on social media.5. Rights and usage.
Winners may use their songs for personal enjoyment or sharing with friends/family, but may not claim songwriting or production ownership. Garris retains all copyright and licensing rights.6. Consent to communication.
By entering, you agree to receive occasional emails from Garris regarding raffle updates and developments regarding his work in music and education. You may unsubscribe at any time.7. Privacy.
Your information will never be sold, shared, or used for any purpose outside raffle communication and brand updates.8. General disclaimers.
Void where prohibited. Garris reserves the right to modify or cancel the raffle at any time if necessary. The exact details regarding length of songs and track count of sessions are controlled in full by Garris.

…an Easter Egg!?P.S. If you reply ‘Easter Egg’ in your first email/DM, I’ll send a little thank-you back, because you my friend, are an excellent reader!