Merle Art Music Productions is a comprehensive and unique musical company offering a plethora of services to nurture gifts in visual and performing arts. Our creed comes from the scriptures: “Man’s gift makes room for him.”

The Merle Art Records division of the company acts as an independent label whose mission is to create a family like environment where artists can get the support and backing necessary to navigate through the music industry. Merle Art Records assistance to artists ranges from song writing, musical arrangements, recording, production, distribution, and selling of recordings and videos. Through collaborative resourcing, we will help expose new talent and aid artist with broadening their audience base through marketing and positively promoting artist’s original work.

The Merle Art Music Sessions division of the company is committed to cultivating within young people the love of the arts. Through presentations and classroom visits, children are exposed and are able to interact with various different common and uncommon instruments. Our history and involvement in the entertainment industry have made us keenly aware that new talent is constantly being born. We know our company will improve kids’ dexterity, coordination, confidence and their multiple intelligences, but we also believe and hope that it will unleash toddlers’ hidden talents and hopefully expose them to different career options in the arts.

The Gallery division of company is committed to furthering careers in visual arts. Perthea Saunders, co-founder of the Merle Art Music Productions and artist, has lead and orchestrated the completion of various mural projects and has created various pieces on display within the gallery. We believe that the Gallery can become a venue for other artists to display their artwork and reach a broader audience.

The visionary and founder of Merle Art Music Productions, was born and raised in Newark NJ the knee baby, fourth out of five children from parents Naomi and Charles Saunders. Early on, Eddie received his musical influences from his mother. At the tender age of ten, Eddie discovered he was a natural born drummer and later expanded his love of percussion by playing the piano. After much growth and evolution, his local church accepted the art of drumming and as a young boy added him to their roster of paid musicians. His travels as a percussionist began a journey of networking and afforded him the opportunity to do studio work with such greats as Donnie Harper and the Voices of Tomorrow and Charles Stewart and the Good News Singers. These experiences ignited a career as a musical producer working with various singers in multiple capacities: provided vocal training for Tisha Campbell, wrote and produced music for the young Raven Simone, wrote and arranged “Baby Please be Mine” by Regina Bell, collaborated on projects with the likes of Dave Pic Conley of Surface, Gwen Guthrie, Cuba Gooding Sr., Mary J Blige, Paul Gainer, Blue Lovett of the Manhattans, Whitney Houston, Billy Baker, John Simmons and a host of other artists. In his musical endeavors, he founded the group, the NJ Connection which birthed the hit single, Love Don’t Come Easy which overseas landed him the # 10 spot on London’s charts and in the # 50s spot in NY in the 1980s. Most recently, Eddie Saunders most prized accomplishment is his service as lead musician for the Praise and Worship Team at Saint John’s Community Baptist Church.

 

The co-founder and the proprietor of Merle Art Music Productions, can be described as a woman of many talents. At the age of 13, Perthea discovered two gifts that would play major roles within her life, drawing and singing. Participating in junior and high school activities while growing up in Newark, NJ provided Perthea with the outlet and the experiences to hone her talents. From high school to now, she was the lead vocalist in various singing groups Cash Money, Soulzar, Spirit and Living Proof---a group consisting of her and her two daughters. Her vocal ability and precision have presented her with opportunities to work on various musical ventures with the Friersons, Whitney Houston, Briz Bon, Raven Simone and Cuba Gooding. Reinforcing the term, “If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere,” she has performed at the legendary stage of the Harlem Apollo Theatre, the plush nightclub of Sweet Waters, the jazz club Story Town, and the celebrated nightclub, the Village Gate. She has performed with Robert Banks as a lead vocalist in Cry of the People, on the album of Jackie Jones and as a background vocalist for Lou Rawls. Her most inspiring accomplishments are her contributions to the singing ministry at the church. She has written a host of songs that can be heard on any given Sunday and have recorded various gospel pieces. After a long period, she rediscovered her love of drawing and painting and has produced many paintings and orchestrated the completion of various murals.