Half Mile Home

Ohio vocal trio Half Mile Home make dynamic R&B- and hip-hop-infused gospel music. Since growing out of their earlier incarnation as a secular R&B ensemble in the '90s, Half Mile Home features siblings Terence (lead vocals/guitars) and Todd Burton (vocals/drums), along with Youngstown native Darryl Brownlee (piano/production). Influenced by classic soul acts like the O'Jays, the Ohio Players, James Ingram, and Babyface, the Akron-based group initially came together in the early '90s with the goal of launching a mainstream R&B career. Going under the name 1-900, they released a self-titled album in 1994 featuring production from Jodeci's Devante Swing before their record company went out of business. Following the label shake-up, the group re-formed as After the Rain and toured with artist like Gerald Levert and Ginuwine. However, growing increasingly dissatisfied with aspects of the secular music industry that went against their church upbringing, Terence Burton and his bandmates eventually decided to return to the gospel music of their youth. Renaming themselves Half Mile Home, a name inspired by a highway sign just outside of Akron, they released their 2004 debut full-length album, The Movement, featuring the single "Do It Again." Half Mile Home then returned with several more albums, including 2010's Change My Lyfe, and 2013's Church Musik & Inspiration. In 2014, Church Musik & Inspiration was re-released in a deluxe version, featuring new songs and remixes.
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