the Elements
7th Element’s slogan, “It’s all about the 7th Element” says it all. These six men have accomplished much in their own right, but it’s the Seventh member, the “unseen” one, that is the focal point of the group’s music.
7th Element consists of the four Greene brothers, Curt, Darren, Garth, and Kevin, as well as long-time friends, Marc Dwyer and Dean Dennis. Since the group’s inception in April 1999, the group has accepted a two-part mission: First, to bring a message of truth to the world through music by creating a smooth inspirational sound with a unique mixture of rich harmonies that draw universal appeal; and secondly, to inspire and mentor young musicians to continue the rich a capella musical tradition.
Over the past several years, the group has taken their witness across the country, and internationally as well. Members of 7th Element have performed with or for renowned artists such as Freddie Jackson, Melba Moore, the Winans, Richard Smallwood, Della Reese, Albertina Walker, Allen & Allen, Andre Crouch, and Shirley Caesar, and have also recorded in the studio with the legendary Grover Washington, Jr. and Be Be Winans. While the influence of well-known groups like The Four Freshman, Take 6, Commissioned, and even Boyz II Men can be heard in their sound, 7th Element’s music definitely boasts a fresh and unique perspective.
The success of 7th Element is an unmistakable witness of God’s power and influence. By His grace their mission will be a success.
Marc Dwyer, 1st Tenor (E1)
Born in Brooklyn on March 17th, this New York native was destined to perform. His parents, influential vocalists and musicians in their own right, gave Marc the tools to make him an eventual force in the music industry. Marc's musical talents were polished in the Linden SDA church, a church known for its rich musical heritage. There, he covered the gambit of numerous groups, performing in a trio (Unity), quartet (The Revelations), quintet (Epiphany), sextet (Last Appeal), choir (Lindenaires), and played keyboard for the award winning Linden Ensemble for Christ .
In 1989 Marc's musical career took a major leap when he and his group (Last Appeal) won the McDonald's tri-state Gospelfest. From there, his group went on to win a Gospel Academy Award for Group of the Year. Artist/Producer Al B. Sure signed Last Appeal to a record deal with Capitol Records in 1991. They were signed to another record deal with Sony Records in 1995, on the same day, after a personal audition with Sony Music president Tommy Mottola. During that six-year span, Marc performed on some of the world's most famous stages; Carnegie Hall, The Apollo Theater, The Superdome in LA, and Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center to name a few. He has performed with many superstars both in and out of Christian Music, such as Freddie Jackson, Melba Moore, The Winans, Richard Smallwood, Della Reese, Albertina Walker, Allen &Allen, and Shirley Ceasar to name a few. He has recorded with Grover Washington Jr. and Be Be Winans. Marc has appeared on the Bobby Jones Gospel program more than once. His desire now is to bring the joy of the Gospel through music to all those who thirst for it, and to use his voice to uplift God and God alone.
In 1996, Marc moved to Florida where he has teamed up with the Greene Brothers (of "Heralds of Joy" fame). Several years later he called upon former Last Appeal colleague David Marc (“Dee”) Glover to join him to be the 6th element and anchor the bottom of the harmony. The 7th element took over from there.
Marc's favorite food is lasagna, a dish his wife is unrivaled in preparing. He also has a soft-spot for chocolate of any kind. His favorite groups are Commissioned, The Carpenters, and Chicago. His favorite songwriter/artist is Lionel Richie. Marc credits as his music influence these artists, as well as Take 6, The Singers Unlimited, The original Breath of life quartet, and The Winans. His favorite music is undoubtedly Gospel. His favorite activities include golf, basketball, and Bible studies. Marc is currently a practicing attorney and Teen Court Judge in Florida. He is married to his beautiful wife of over 20 years, Rose and has three children, Jasmine Ashley, Jayson William-Gladstone, and Brea Whitney.
Darren Greene, 2nd Tenor (E2)
Darren was born in Nassau, Bahamas. His parents Arlington and Fay, both natives of Jamaica, West Indies, shared with Darren what became and still is his passion, an appreciation for music. Through this appreciation, he discovered God’s special gift to him…a natural tenor voice.
As a young boy, that appreciation for music blossomed into a fervent love of music. He soon began singing with his brothers at local churches. The brothers expanded the group to form a seven man a capella group which they called the “Heralds of Joy”. Their uncommon and unique five, six and sometimes seven-part harmony set them apart from others. They went on to record an album entitled “Go Tell It On The Mountain.” The Heralds of Joy afforded Darren the opportunity to sing on various stages across the United States and the Caribbean. Over time, the group separated as the members, one by one, left to further their education at colleges and universities across the United States.
As Darren matured spiritually, music continued to play a large part in his life, increasingly becoming not only his passion but, his ministry. Today, a large portion of his time is dedicated to local churches where he joins praise teams as a guest artist. He’s been known to say… “I go where my Father’s music takes me.” His favorite Bible texts include Isaiah 26:3, Philippians 4:13 and Proverbs 22:6. These texts have provided continued strength and direction at different times of his life.
The artists who have most influenced Darren’s musical preferences are Singers Unlimited, the original Breath of Life Quartet, Paul Carpenter, Take 6, Billy Joel, David Foster, Earth, Wind and Fire and a host of other great musicians and performers. In his private time, Darren enjoys walking/running in 5k and half marathon events across the country, biking, weight training, golf and tennis. His most recent interests surround his love for healthy living through a balanced clean diet and daily exercise.
Together again with his brothers, his mission is to use his special gift to carry the love of Christ to all people through the universal medium of music. 7th Element is the vehicle for achieving this mission.
Darren and his wife Jeannette, call Central Florida home. When not praising the Lord through music, Darren spends his time in the field of Information Technology for an international Medical Systems company. Jeannette is a Manager on the Legal Team for an international leader in the hospitality and entertainment industry.
Garth Greene, 3rd Tenor (E3)
Garth, born in Jamaica, West Indies, to Arlington and Fay Greene on June 8th, didn't discover his abilities to sing and perform before an audience until well into his late teens. He began his musical odyssey as a child of about six years of age when he taught himself to play the piano. Though he later took formal piano lessons, his natural talent for hearing musical cords and his love for creating them on the keyboard proved to be his undoing, as far as piano lessons were concerned, because he discovered that his home-grown lessons made much better music than anything he was learning from the initial stages of formal piano training.
This odyssey picks up again much later in life for as a freshman in the mid-seventies at Atlantic Union College, in South Lancaster, Massachusetts, he unexpectedly began his musical journey before a live audience as a member of "The Sons of the Master", one of the finest male quartets to ever grace that campus. It included Garth Gabriel (yes, another Garth), the bass, who later went on to sing with the renowned Heritage Singers.
At about this time, Garth discovered his ability to rearrange and to teach music. It was a talent that came in quite handily as at about the same time, his younger brothers had begun a singing group in their home church, Jamaica Seventh-day Adventist church. They called themselves the "Heralds of Joy" and it wasn't long after that Garth would join forces with them and begin to use the talents that he had begun to discover at the college. The union was a perfect match, garnering accolades throughout the New York Metropolitan area and surrounding states and eventually led to the production of their first album, "Go Tell It On The Mountain".
Over the years Garth has remained a strong member of the churches he has called home including the New Rochelle Seventh-day Adventist Church in New Rochelle, New York, where he joined the Chancel Choir (the church's senior choir) shortly after becoming a member of the church and was eventually asked to be the director of the choir, a position he held for six years. He had previously directed the church's youth choir and in the mid-eighties started the New Rochelle Men's Chorale, an a capella group of about fifteen men with whom Garth expanded his talents of re-writing music to his own unique tastes. After moving to Florida in 2001, Garth joined and led the music department of the Altamonte Springs Seventh-day Adventist Church for several years, directing the senior choir there and forming yet another a capella group of fine men who went by the name the Altamonte Springs Male Chorus.
Garth has been influenced musically over the years by such groups as Earth, Wind and Fire, his favorite secular group of all time, and the original Breath of Life Quartet, with musical arrangements by Shelton Kilby, and today enjoys with admiration the work of Take Six. His favorite Bible texts can be found in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and his mission in life is to one day sing with that greatest of choirs in the heavenly kingdom, but until then, he wants to make beautiful music here on earth, sharing his love for musical harmony with all who can appreciate it for as long as he possibly can. He believes that the people he has teamed with to create 7th Element, Marc Dwyer and Dean Dennis, two extremely talented individuals with long lists of accolades in their own rights, along with his brothers will only foster that goal.
Garth is joined by his wife, the former Felice Renee Earle of New Rochelle, New York, with whom he has been married since 1981. Renee is currently the School Counselor at a local elementary school and has enjoyed teaching counseling theory and application at the collegiate level. Their union has produced two children, Marc Alexander and Arielle Yvonne. Marc, with his wife Terry, have recently made Garth and Renee the proud grandparents of David Wesley.
Curt Greene, 4th Tenor (E4)
Born August 24, in Nassau, Bahamas to Arlington and Fay Greene, and raised Seventh-day Adventist, Curt has been singing with his three brothers since the age of ten. He first sang with them in The Heralds of Joy, an all-male a cappella group during the late 1970’s. In 1989 he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Art/Computer Graphics from Atlantic Union College, a Christian institution located in South Lancaster, Massachusetts. While a college student, Curt was featured in a variety of art exhibits in local galleries.
Curt presently shares his gift of song through participation in several musical groups. He has the vocal ability to sing first tenor as well as bass. As an avid lover of music, he enjoys listening to groups such as the original Breath of Life Quartet, Singers Unlimited and A Special Blend. His hobbies include singing, basketball and table tennis. But, second only to his appreciation of music is his love of art, creative expression through the use of pen and paper or a computer.
Curt is happily married to Janice, a middle school mathematics teacher, and they have two sons, Jared and Eric. Jared, with his wife Kharyce, has given Curt and Janice three grandchildren - Jasmine, Karah and Jaden.
II Timothy 2:15 is Curt’s favorite text of encouragement and inspiration. It is his life’s mission to continue to be a workman for God in all that he does and be found ready, along with his family, to walk on the streets of gold when the Lord returns.
Kevin Greene, Baritone (E5)
Kevin was born on October 18th in Kingston, Jamaica West Indies. He is the third of five children born to Arlington and Fay Greene. He grew up in Queens, New York where he attended grade and high school and then continued on to college. He became a high school teacher after receiving a degree in education. Kevin then decided to change careers and is now currently working as a critical care registered nurse.
Kevin has been involved with music since childhood. For the past 20 years, he has been singing in various church, high school, and college groups. As a teenager, he was part of the singing group The Heralds of Joy, which consisted of his 3 brothers, Garth, Darren and Curt along with 3 other friends: Walter and Lloyd James and Reginald Shorey. Together they recorded an Album in 1979 Titled “Go Tell It On The Mountain”.
Kevin is a natural baritone but has the ability to sing other parts when needed. His love for music has made him want to continue to sing and share his talent. Through music, he wants to do his part in helping to further the gospel message. He believes the hearts of many people can be blessed and the love of God can be spread through the ministry of music.
Artists that Kevin has admired include Walter Arties, Maurice White and Patti Labelle. His favorite groups are Earth, Wind and Fire, Take 6, Singers Unlimited, and the original Breath of Life Quartet. The type of music Kevin really enjoys is a cappella with rich, tight harmony. Jazz and contemporary gospel are also among his favorite types of music.
Kevin has been a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church all of his life. He is happily married to Diane who is also a critical care registered nurse. Kevin enjoys working with his hands and has a love for fixing, rebuilding and tinkering with cars. Basketball is his favorite sport. Kevin also enjoys traveling and making people laugh.
Dean Dennis, Bass (E6)
Dean was born February 28th in New York City. He is a highly experienced bass vocalist who is no stranger to a cappella music. Many a cappella music fans will remember him as the bass vocalist of Connect 5.
As it turns out, his father taught the Greene brothers in grade school way, way back in the day! If you ever see the group in person, ask us about it, there are quite a few great stories there.
Dean is a graduate of the world-renowned Oakwood University which is known for producing many of the world's finest vocalist. He was known as the go-to bass singer of his era. Dean's music experiences include extensive touring, television, radio and session work providing quality bass vocals for various recording artists.
Some of Dean's musical influences include, Take 6, A Special Blend, The Breath of Life Quartet, The Winans, Commissioned, Wayman Tisdale, Jonathan Butler, Quincy Jones, Richard Smallwood and Andre Crouch to name a few.
Dean is happily married. Together he and his wife Alecia have been blessed with three young children (who are also budding songwriters, pianists and vocalists in their own right). Both Dean and his family split their time between Northern California and Southern Florida, the two places they consider home.
When not singing, Dean can be found managing the operations of the Skarlet Beverage Company which he and Alecia founded. In his spare time, he enjoys spending long hours talking with his wife, traveling with his family, detailing cars, hiking, art and music.