Therefore his music is a seamless blend of each genre. Noel is influenced by classic soul as well as the contemporary sounds of R&B and hip-hop. His first exposure to the vocal arts came in church and he was introduced to the larger canon of soul music by his father (who introduced him to the classics, such as Otis Redding) and his brother (who turned him on to the sounds of new jack swing).
He honed his skills in Brockton, MA, and by the age of 24 scored a deal with Sony and had his first album in stores. The result is a man who is city to the heart but southern to the soul.
He was born in Brockton, MA but spent his summers with family in Pachuta, Mississippi. Soul and R&B singer Noel Gourdin (Gor-Deen) did not have a traditional childhood.
