There was a thunderous roar of applause and screams from the crowd as singer/songwriter Trey Songz stepped onstage Tuesday September 11, 2007 at MCC-Penn Valley.

Sponsored by KPRS "Hot 103 Jamz" radio station and Car Smart, the up and coming R&B star sat down for a question and answer session with a bevy of excited fans.

Songz said he started his musical career at age 15, spending summers in preparation for the recording contract offered him when he was 19. Songz credits his love of music, his mentor, Troy Taylor, hard work, and prayer for his success.

"I love to sing. Not only that, my mentor put me on to a whole lot of music that I knew nothing about. You know, like Ron Isley, Luther Vandross, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye. My love for music just grew from there."

Of the artists he has collaborated with, Songz said, "I have worked with a lot of people, but my favorite is Aretha Franklin. The artists who have influenced my music are R. Kelly and Jay-Z initially, after that Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and Prince."

One audience member asked Songz what advice he would give to someone who was trying to get into the music business.

"If you want to be successful," said Songz, "then perfect your craft, study it, make sure that’s what you want to do, because a lot of people only see the lights, you know the women, glamour and money. They don’t realize there is so much more to it than that."

Songz admitted to being very critical of his own work. "I’m very hard on myself. I can sometimes see the flaws in my work and I rate my performances."

Another audience member wanted to know how Songz manages to stay grounded when he has a lot of women trying to get at him.

"I keep real people around me," Songz replied. "Like my mentor, for example, who has been with me since I was 15. Then there is my bodyguard who’s with me everyday. I keep people around me who are not going to let me get to the point where they say 'Trey you’re trippin'. I don’t have any 'yes' men around me."

At the end of the question and answer period Songz gathered with 50 of his fans for a pizza party. Each fan was given a photo opportunity with the singer, a poster of Songz, and an autographed photo before he left.

Copyright 2007 Metropolitan Community College