Shurlock Hubbart is a music producer and artist and has collaborate on musical projects with other national recording artists like Musiq Soul Child, The Temptations featuring Dennis Edwards, the Platters, the Chi Lites, other artists while traveling the world. (Provided)
” data-medium-file=”https://www.birminghamtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Shurlock-1-300×203.jpg” data-large-file=”https://www.birminghamtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Shurlock-1.jpg” tabindex=”0″ role=”button” />
By Keisa Sharpe | For The Birmingham Times
While a fourth grader at Dupuy Elementary School in Birmingham’s Avon Park Community Shurlock Hubbart was so excited to attend a New Edition concert in at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex Exhibition Hall with his god sister that it would change his life.
He remembers the R&B pop group hitting the stage “and they all had on all white shirts with the pockets on the sleeve and the dress shoes,” said Shurlock. “And they had a band and everything. My god sister got me to the front of the stage, and I just looked up and saw them just dancing and singing and saw all the girls and grown women screaming. Whatever that was they were doing, that’s what I wanted.”
Hubbart says he didn’t know exactly what part of the performance or business he wanted (making music, directing the band, being out front or managing the group), but says he knew that day “that’s what I had to do.”
Hubbart eventually went on to become a music producer and artist and collaborate on musical projects with other national recording artists like Musiq Soul Child, The Temptations featuring Dennis Edwards, the Platters, the Chi Lites, other artists while traveling the world.
After 30 years in the music industry Hubbart said he’s ready to slow down. His swan song to the music business is a project entitled The Finale.
“I’ve done everything I wanted to do, and I am wrapping up that part. It’s now time for me to focus on some other items,” he said.
One of the items is to spread the message about recognizing the signs of depression in men – a direct charge from his mother. She asked him to continue his musical journey and to use that platform to spread awareness about mental health.
“She told me I was a great entertainer and a great son and to live my life in service to others,” Hubbart told The Birmingham Times . He says he will also do a show dedicated to his mom as well, called “The Night of Roses. It will be held in the spring.
It Was All a Dream
Hubbart graduated in 1990 from Woodlawn High School and attended Florida A & M University in Tallahassee, Florida Just a few months after settling in at college, he received an invite for a musical tour from his god brother and paid $20,000 to work with the popular late 80’s, award-winning, hip hop Afrocentric group Arrested Development, known for such popular hits as “People Everyday” and “Mr. Wendal.” He took the opportunity and never looked back at college.
“I am a producer first and foremost,” explained Hubbart. “My career started (in 1991) with me being a ghost producer (someone who works in production for a weekly salary to get experience). I never wanted to be in the front because I’m so shy. Being in the background and being able to do music, and still get credit for it, but never have to be in the public eye was the greatest thing ever.”
He bounced between Birmingham and Atlanta until permanently moving to Atlanta in 1994. Other musical groups he worked with during this time included Xscape (female singing group), Ghost Town DJ’s (hip hop bass group from Atlanta), music producer Byron the Aquarius and Birmingham R & B singer Deidra Gaddis.
He would then deal with a series of challenges.
Challenges
After learning his manager had been stealing money from him, Hubbart moved back to Birmingham in 1995 – flat broke. While home with his mother, she noticed he was depressed.
“My mom said you got to do something,” recalled Hubbart. “My mom really didn’t understand depression and thought I was being lazy and seeking attention. But she was trying to motivate me,” he said. As he watched television, he noticed a number of movies based around the US Navy. Hubbart took it as a sign to join the Navy, called the recruiter, went to Montgomery to test, and began his life in military service.
Serving Others and His Country
In 1996, Hubbart joined the US Navy. He shipped out of Everett, Washington in September of that year.
“At that point, mentally, I was dealing with a whole bunch of things – the lies and the deceit of the (manager) robbing me, and me not being able to do anything,” he said. “(I knew) lawyers cost, and (my thought was) lawyers are not just going to take my case to try to fight a manager who’s been in the business for over 15 years.”
While in the military, based out of Everett, Hubbart was stationed aboard the USS Ford FFG-54 from 1996 until 1999.
He faced another crisis.
During his third year on board the ship he was lost at sea for three days in Alaska.
Hubbart was on what’s known as the flight deck. “Then the ship made a sharp turn to miss debris in the water. I lost my balance and went over the lifelines and fell into the water.” The fall was equivalent to falling four stories from an apartment building, he said.
Hubbart was wearing a very thick and weighty naval anti exposure suit (which doubled as flotation device), or what’s called a “pumpkin suit,” when he fell and went unconscious in the waters off the coast Kodiak, Alaska in the Pacific Ocean.
The crew didn’t notice Hubbart was missing until the next morning and sent out a search team who found Hubbart on the third day of the search (just before they were about to give up). He was rescued by a member of the Navy Seals and taken to a hospital in San Diego.
Hubbart says he has no idea how he survived, but when they found him, “I had a piece of driftwood underneath my arm that was keeping my head above water. At some point, I was conscious, but my brain won’t allow me to know what happened,” he said.
Mental Health Matters
After his hospital stay, Hubbart returned to Birmingham to stay with his mom and received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy in 1999.
Soon after arriving back in the Magic City. he learned his mom was fighting breast cancer.
Hubbart supported his mother, 72-year-old Frankie Tippett, on her journey and was able to help her successfully overcome the first round of the disease. (Tippett lost her fight with the disease on January 17).
In 2001, Hubbart moved to Seattle and married in 2008.
While there, his music career took off again and he toured and performed with his sister along the West Coast. It was during this time he learned his marriage wasn’t as rosy as he’d thought. He discovered infidelity which led to a major mental breakdown and thoughts of suicide.
Eventually the couple divorced in 2011.
Signs of Depression in Men
Hubbart says depression first surfaced when he felt he failed in his music career (after his record label manager stole his money). And those feelings began to surface again after being discharged from the military. Neither time did he see it as a mental health red flag, but he knows better now.
His journey through depression has produced a determination to share and shine light on the condition to help others.
For example, he supports his friends in their time of need by providing a listening ear; actively looks for opportunities to share his mental health challenges on others’ platforms, hoping his story will give others strength to fight; and is committed to hosting events to spread information and awareness about Black men and mental health.
“Sometimes I have to fight to think I’m ok,” said Hubbart. “On stage, I am arrogant. But LaMilton (his birth name), is painfully shy and reserved. Shurlock, the artist, protects LaMilton.”
Marriage Matters
Hubbart says he has a group of caring friends to thank for him not taking his own life. And he has sought medical help and supports taking medicine to treat mental health conditions such as depression.
Hubbart said he advises women to ask their significant others questions regarding how they’re doing and pay close attention to his feelings, emotions and reactions to challenging situations.
Some common signs of depression in men include changes in sleeping or eating habits; emotional extremes, like becoming agitated more easily; or, engaging in risky behaviors like drinking or using drugs.
Hubbart says ladies should also pay attention to a key phrase of a depressed male such as, “I’m just tired.”
“So many of my male friends feel invisible and unseen by their partners,” said Hubbart. “Most of the times, a lot of us guys rely on each other. Or we just bury it (depressed feelings).”
Hubbart said his mother told him to focus on being of service to others, and he’s heeding her advice. “I need you to tell people about depression and do that as an act of service,” she said.
For more information on men and mental health, visit the https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/men-and-mental-health.
Follow Shurlock Hubbart on Instagram @Shurlock.2020.
Follow him on Facebook at ShurlockHubbart.
Follow him on TikTok at Shurlocklive2020 and on YouTube at woodgrayneent.
