I played my first show at the Sunset Grill on Virginia Beach Blvd in 1998. It is hard to say how many shows I’ve played since then, but I know I fell in love with the process of creating music very early on. My passion for music left the stage and moved into music production and band management as I grew older and took on more of life’s responsibilities. One thing has been constant though, I have been amazed by numerous musicians in my hometown. I’ve heard great songs that never reached the public outside of a few parties or bar gigs. “Wouldn’t it be nice to help some of these songs reach the light of day or at least their community at large,” I often thought to myself. Times have changed and I’ve seen people start to reinvest in their communities and their local culture, and I feel it is time for my home in the 757 to have a record label all their own. Much like a restaurant that only serves locally grown produce or a local brewer that employs their neighbors and enlist their own recipes, S.D.S. was thought up to showcase the best of 757 music culture and make sure Hampton Roads is known for its music just as much as its seafood.
Travis Mansell – Founder