From Vegas to Virginia

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Features

The story below is from our January/February 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you! 

Learn more about T-Fox in this segment from our podcast's second episode of Season 2, as we chat about his upbringing, move to Roanoke and everything in between:

An award-winning musical maestro spreads joy and inspiration as a local entertainment ambassador.

Tyrone Fox Baylis, aka T-Fox, has an infectious spirit. Sixty-four, vibrant and full of energy, T-Fox fills any room he enters with a smile and a desire to bring a smile to everyone in the vicinity. Be it a hug, a song or connecting through conversation, he has a purpose and meets no strangers.

T-Fox is the CEO of Fox City Music/Media and Entertainment Ambassador at Rosie’s Gaming Emporium. As Entertainment Ambassador, he emcees, performs and helps book entertainment.

With his upbringing and natural talent and charisma, he seemed destined to entertain. His mother Elinora Jackson was a jazz singer, recording artist and songwriter. She counted legends like Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye among her friends.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, T-Fox moved with his family to the Detroit area where his Auntie Sylvia Moy lived. Moy was a songwriter of such hits as “My Cheri Amore” sung by Stevie Wonder and the first female songwriter involved with creating Hitsville U.S.A., which became Motown Records.

Due to his mother and aunt, T-Fox was exposed to legendary performers early in his life. Those influences helped shape his future as a songwriter and performer.

In high school, T-Fox was given a scholarship to study art at the prestigious Interlochen Music for the Performing Arts in Traverse City, Michigan. He went for art and ended up singing due in part to his teachers who included William Warfield, a concert bass-baritone singer and actor, who played the role of “Porgy” in the Broadway version of “Porgy and Bess” and sung “Ole Man River” in the 1951 movie “Showboat.”

T-Fox pursued his dreams with enthusiasm and dedication. His faith in God, passion for performing and desire to bring happiness to people propelled his success as he navigated the ups and downs of life as an entertainer.

He entertained audiences at the Tropicana in Vegas for 15 years. T-Fox created, danced and sang a three-hour high-energy show.

Wayne Newton headlined there at the time, and they supported one another and became friends. T-Fox met and befriended many other Vegas strip performers.

Former Mayor Oscar Goodman of Las Vegas once called T-Fox “The Spirit of the Strip.” Goodman also awarded him the key to the City of Vegas and named August 24, 2002, as T-Fox Day.

T-Fox performed for several years at the Tropicana Hotel Casino in Atlantic City and was a headliner at the Resorts Hotel & Casino. His first headliner show was to a sold-out crowd in 2011 for his New Year’s The Evolution of Motown and the Classic Hits of Yesteryear. With a rare six-octaves vocal range, he can hit notes from both the high and low ends of the spectrum. This allows him to sing everything from Mariah Carey to Barry White.

T-Fox was the first Black American to be awarded the American Liberty Sword as an ambassador to the armed Forces for his “continuous motivation in his show productions to honor veterans and troops.” He was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel and his likeness was used to depict explorer Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the first permanent resident of Chicago on the Black Heritage postage stamp as no image of du Sable existed.

A collector of stamps himself at one time, T-Fox also enjoys collecting Las Vegas memorabilia. Some notable pieces include Michael Jackson’s glove and jacket along with a ring, chandeliers and two small mirror pianos that belonged to Liberace. Another fun piece is Jerry Lewis’ nutty professor tux shirt.

The most important thing for him is keeping the faith. He professes FAITH which he says stands for “Father always in the house.”

“Momma taught me to never give up on my dreams and to put God first,” says T-Fox.

His dad always “called me his shining star.” His French-Canadian-Indian father, Jiam Desjardins (Skerv), is a Black history scholar as well as an actor, singer, writer and painter.

When T-Fox was invited to be Entertainment Ambassador at Rosie’s, he and his wife of 42 years decided, “Why not try something new?” In May of 2022, they arrived in Roanoke with their 14-year-old fur baby, Spirit.

His wife, Andrea Imani Fox Balis, is also a gifted performer. She is a former Fly Girl on In Living Color and Founder of the Fox City Dancers who performs with T-Fox.

While T-Fox shares it was hard leaving Las Vegas, he fell in love with the trees in Virginia and enjoys the beauty and nature in Roanoke. “This place brings me peace,” he shares. “I’m loving the community and the energy here.”

T-Fox brought his high vibe and impeccable sense of style from Vegas to Virginia. His personality is as bright and bold as his canary yellow shirt and sparkles like his silver stage jacket. T-Fox isn’t just glitz and glam, though, he has a deep sense of spirituality.

He felt compelled to shoot a video for one of his songs, “All I See is You,” at the Roanoke Star. He says, “The song was inspired by seeing God’s creation everywhere you look.”

Last year, a woman told him his song saved her life. She had been depressed and thinking about ending her life when one of his songs, “You Always Answer My Call,” came on YouTube and she had a change of heart.

“We are all here for a reason,” T-Fox says, acknowledging how special it was to know that his song made such an impact. “God’s given me over 102 songs in the last three years,” he says. Some of those songs will be on his album “Walk by Faith” being released in January and some are available now on YouTube (TFOX TV 2024) or streaming services. The album is “urban, inspirational music with a goal of being uplifting.”

Having accomplished so much already, what would T-Fox still like to do? He is writing a biography called “Hallway to Headliner” and plans to make a documentary about his life. He would like to write, produce, direct and act.

Most importantly, he plans to continue to make people happy and spread the love every day, especially through his music ministry.

The story above is from our January/February 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!