"He just taught me everything about performing," P.J. said.

Schwartz said he started performing musical theater when he was 8 and has now branched off into mainstream pop. He is working on recording demo tapes that he plans on sending to record companies.

"I just love to sing; it's just one of my passions," he said.

Recently Schwartz started writing his own pop and R&B songs. Some of them can be heard online at www.myspace.com/pjsinger.

"I think that singing is a really good way to relate to people," P.J. said. "Especially if it's an uplifting song and or just a positive song, it can just change people's lives."

Barbara Schwartz said her son is really good.

"The singing thing has just been something he's just kind of done around the house, you know, singing loud — he has a big voice," she said. "Singing really well, as loudly as he does, has just come about the last three years since he was 13. But once he started he just really does it well."

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E-mail: nclemens@desnews.com