Troy Sneed Puts Jacksonville on Gospel Map

Jacksonville’s Troy Sneed Is Battling the Major Labels And Winning As His Label’s Tune “The Struggle is Over” Spends 6th Week at #1 on Billboard Chart

After almost two decades in the music industry, singer and independent record label owner, Troy Sneed, is finally seeing his dreams come true. His Jacksonville-based label, Emtro (the fusion of he and his wife, Emily’s names) has been making great strides since it opened its doors in 2003. In the gospel industry where major labels such as EMI and Sony dominate the radio airwaves with their various gospel music subsidiaries, Emtro has held its ground. The label has enjoyed Top Ten gospel hits over the last two years with Rudolph McKissick’s “The Right Place,” Alvin Darling’s “All Night” and now Youth for Christ’s “The Struggle is Over” which has spent six weeks in the #1 slot on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart.

It’s an interesting career path for a man who once fantasized of blocking wide receivers in the NFL until a high school injury sidelined his professional aspirations. During his convalescence, Sneed refocused his attention on his second love: music. After enrolling at Florida A&M University (FAMU), he joined the school’s Gospel Choir and worked his way into the gospel music industry. He coached the choir on Whitney Houston’s “The Preacher’s Wife” soundtrack and recorded some solo cds for Savoy Records before deciding to start Emtro Gospel.

“Well, after being on the label and doing two records, I didn’t feel like this was the way that God would have me to go,” Sneed says. “So, I asked to be released. Everyone thought that I was crazy but I was not. I had learned so much about the industry and I have the gift of Faith and God had shown it to me. My wife told me that she would get two jobs so that I could jump in headfirst. We started Emtro Gospel with shoebox money. No bank loan and bad credit. Now my wife and I both work for the company fulltime.”

Sneed's latest solo single, "Hallelujah" is currently #27 on Billboard's gospel singles chart with a bullet.