“They say it’s all the rage now to cry outside when the rain is falling down.” Back in junior high school, Terrance Banks wrote poetry to deal with the stuff of life: being raised by a mother living with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, growing up in a tough neighborhood and simply finding his way in the world. The line, from his song “Moments” on his April release “The Legend of Guitar Boy,” is an illustration of how writing has painted the story of his soul. Poetry grew into musical expression and Soultru became the alter eqo from which Banks expresses it.
Influences include everything from Smokie Norful to Son Little, John Legend to pop/blue eyed soul artist Gavin Degraw. The raspy voiced, 35-year old has experimented with musical styles and genres but connects most with listeners through his voice and guitar. The four tracks on his recent release tell a personal story. “Backtiotomy,” which references Banks’ penchant for backpacks, is about carrying ideas of who we are but from other peoples’ perspectives. “Neighborhood” and “Moments” are both takes on the idea of fitting in and “Fighting A War” is about his personal journey of coming clean from addiction to pills eight years ago. For this young artist, as it is for so many of us, music is the balance of life, Soultru.
He has had the pleasure of opening for artists such as Kweku Collins, Magic City Hippies, Michigan Rattlers, Neil Hilborn, Ceschi Ramos Kaleb Mitchell and shared The Alder Theatre stage with Amythyst Kiah in June 2021.
Recently he has played on festivals such as Alternating Currents in the Quad Cities, IA/IL, being added to Barrel and Flow Fest in Pittsburgh PA (2021), Lincoln Calling in Lincoln NE (2021, 2022), Gross Domestic Product Festival Des Moines, IA (2022) and Summerfest Milwaukee, WI (2022) Mile of Music 10 (2023).
