MR. POAG , and for some TG-1 as he is fondly referred to is a native Baltimorean . My musical education started at home at an early age when Harry (dad) would come home from work, sometimes two jobs . He would say to my four brothers and me, “All of you to the living room. Now I’m beat down tired from working and now is the time for relaxation. I do not want to hear a peep from anyone. Do you all understand? “Yes sir we all replied. Then he would go to the dinning room area 
where we had this “BAD” quad Sony reel to reel sound system. Dad belonged to the Columbia Music Club which would send music monthly. He was a renound jazz affictionado.Miles,Coltrane,Monk,Bruebeck,Fats Waller w Dinah Washington, Ahmad Jamal, Ella,The Duke and The Count, Nat King Cole,Satchmo, and his favorite “Yardbird” (Charlie Parker) was the menu for these listening sessions. The list goes on and on. Even though this music was well above our heads we were thoroughly exposed to it. For me it started to sink in. “When the big bands started swingin my bald head started boppin”. Music during my teen years was a different style than dad’s music. I met a great musician friend named Ronald Walker who at the time was and still is a great bassist and multi talented musician.(we were school buddies and grew up together) I saw him play at the junior high school dance. At that moment I knew that’s what I wanted to be “A Bassist”.  The next day I brought my bass guitar to school and in the boys lockeroom I asked Ron to tune my bass for me.There was no stopping me from this point. Mom supported my horrendous growings as a budding bassist with sayings the likes of  “ C’mon Tony Poag get- cho ass up, your dads gone to work ,so let’s “JAMMM.” The 1960s and 70s really inspired me and consisted of the baddest and funkiest bands to have ever graced this planet. Just to name a few, Sly and the Family Stone,James Brown, The Temptin Temptations,The Mighty Dramatics, Graham Central Station ,Cameo,The Brothers Johnson, EWF,and my favorite funk band of all time “SLAVE” which I owe the beginnings of my music career as a bassist to THE BADDEST AND DEADLIEST BOTTOM MAN ON THE PLANET  Yeah you guest right “The Hansolar”  Mr. Mark Adams. Thanks  Mr.Mark, I Luv`s ya Bro. After mastering all the top 40 on the soul and rock formats. I needed to be further challenged as a young and growing bassist. The roots of  modern,latin,be-bop and the new fusion and smooth jazz formats started to influence my playing as I recognized the virtuosic abilities of these great musicians.They`ve inspired and challenged me to grow musically. This phase also introduced my drum and keyboard playing.  Thanks to:   Stanley Clarke,Dennis Chambers, Max, Chick Webb,Glenn, Gary and Gregg Grainger, Marcus Miller, Chick Corea, Vic Wooten, Jeff Lorber,Elivn Jones,Herbie Hancock,Omar Hakim,Miles, The Marsalis Family, Lenny White, Wayne Shorter, Larry Bright etc. and the multi-talented VisionsBand for allowing me to grow as a live concert and studio voice.   Special thanks to Gary “Primetime” Ellerbe and all who have supported me and the love for this thing we call “JAZZ “  Now ya kinda know where I’ve been and where I’m headed.