NATCHEZ — A Natchez musician recently received accolades from the Mississippi Music Foundation in Southaven for his composition titled “I Would Not Be Here.”

Cyantai Woods, formerly known as Edwin Green II, is a student of the Los Angeles Recording School and a 2016 graduate of Natchez High School.

Woods received a nomination in April for the C.L. Shaddock Award for Best Instrumental Song for his composition “I Would Not Be Here.”

“I honestly thought I had lost,” Woods said. “I was feeling down, but when I found I won the award I jumped to my feet grabbed my mom and said, ‘Mom, I won.’ It’s not too often you hear about music artists from Natchez getting that kind of recognition.”

Woods said he has had a long-time passion for music and film production and had practiced scriptwriting with his mother, Vickie Green — a playwright for Natchez stage and church productions.

He plans to receive his associate’s degree from LARS in November and continue his education in music composition, he said.

“I hope to be more involved in music and continue to strive to be a better artist,” Woods said. “I love pop and dance music — basically any kind of music really … and I love making new friends and meeting new people.”

Listen to “I Would Not Be Here” at soundcloud.com/user-860620713/i-would-not-be-here.