Chris "Oledude" Owens

As a singer-songwriter and performer, Chris Oledude Owens has been musically active for 60 of his 65 years. He studied piano, cello, recorder, and African drums, and also sang in numerous choruses. Owens had been in bands and school musicals, but only recently ventured into videos and films.

With a family to support and a career to sustain, Chris Owens put his passion for music aside until his father, Nelson Mandela and family friend Pete Seeger all passed within three months of each other between October, 2013 and January, 2014. As a result, Chris and his two brothers formed OBB - The Owens Brothers Band and started performing original music live. Then, in 2017, his wife, Sandra, was diagnosed with cancer ... and music was again put on hold.

In 2020, a year after Sandra passed and at the start of the COVID pandemic, Chris Owens decided to create the artist known as CHRIS OLEDUDE to serve as the full outlet for his creative energy and the burning desire to speak out during challenging times. Focused on music, Owens never really thought about videos. He really knew nothing about video production or editing.

Chris Owens founded CESO ENTERPRISES, INC. in May, 2020 to manage the work of CHRIS OLEDUDE and the intellectual property past, present and future from Chris and his two sons.

In 2020, CESO ENTERPRISES, INC., produced its first video, GEORGE FLOYD: SAY THEIR NAMES, with Owens and Alyssa Dann co-directing and Dann handling the editing. Owens -- the composer and lyricist -- had a small singing role, and singer Wendy A. Ward had the lead role, along with the community church-based Angels of Transformation Dancers. The production was low-budget, technically challenging, and emotionally draining. But, in the end, everyone involved with GEORGE FLOYD: SAY THEIR NAMES was moved by the experience. Film Festivals have responded positively as well. nearly 400 festivals selected the video and honors were received from approximately 150 of them.

Chris Oledude Owens and CESO have now released the stop-motion video ORANGE BLUES 24, and look forward to creating more compelling works for audiences around the world.

Owens and CESO also look forward to generating and identifying quality music for use in films.