Alexia "Lex Dirty" Spratling was a prodigious genius
This is the most difficult piece I have ever written for The Pulse. Initially, it was meant to be a respectful acknowledgement of the work of a local man whose rise to the top of his field was meteoric.
In researching that man two things have emerged that trouble me greatly. The first is that this should have been written long before his untimely demise.
The second, an aspect of the first, is a basic question whose answer I don’t know, but I am troubled by its implication and it this: why has this writer, composer, multiple instrumentalist, producer, engineer and philanthropist gone largely unmentioned in his home town?
Alexia Levon Spratling was born, raised and educated in Chattanooga. His passion for music was lifelong, his talent undeniable even as a child. His mastery of virtually every aspect of music is remarkably similar to that of Prince Rogers Nelson, a household name no matter where you’re from. He took that talent, passion and ambition and channeled in to a career that saw him working with industry giants like Usher, TLC, OutKast, Tupac, Notorious BIG, P Diddy, Jermaine Dupree, Rick Ross, TPain, Akon, SWV, TI, Meek Mills, 112 and too many more to mention here.
Granted, his career flourished only after he relocated to Atlanta, but he’s still one of our own and figures like Ted Turner and Samuel L. Jackson, who either grew up in the area or at least spent their formative years in the Scenic City, went on to great success elsewhere yet still are widely known here.
One can’t help but draw parallels between the legacy of Spratling and that of Bessie Smith, the greatest singer of an era and one of the greatest of all time who, nonetheless, went largely unacknowledged in her home town during her lifetime.
Smith’s experience locally is well-documented and largely a matter of time, place and prevailing attitudes. Spratling’s experience is not, and the opportunity to delve deeper was lost when he was lost.
Likely it was more a lack of basic awareness than anything particularly sinister, but whatever the case, it remains a terrible shame that a man whose success might have brought a little glory to hometown is left to eulogies and obituaries.
There is some action being taken to right that wrong, most notably the work of Lance Morgan with Councilwoman Demtrus Coonrad to have a street named in his honor, and while that counts for something, it is a shame it comes too late for Mr. Spratling.
Regardless of hometown accolades, or lack thereof, Alexia was a man committed to philanthropic work, spearheading a program that gave children who performed well in school free recording time at his Hennessy Dreams Studio.
He was also a contributing member of a non-profit called Poems Over Pistols, dedicated that offers youth an opportunity to channel anger through music, essentially mentoring them to convert destructive tendencies into creative ones.
He also hosted the annual Open Mic Industry Night, a showcase for up and coming talent. Whatever his successes he remained committed to lifting up young artists and troubled teens, a trait all too rare in the industry.
Visitation for the 39-year-old star is set for Wednesday, June 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Taylor Funeral Home, with services being held at Noon the following day in the facility’s chapel.