VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Musician Maurice Davis, 26, doesn’t know why he was compelled to write a song entitled “Missing Children,” after watching a late-night episode of Oprah. The episode, which displayed information of a missing child, prompted Davis to work until the early hours finishing the song.

After writing “Missing Children,” which Infidel Records, Davis’ record label, has since agreed to produce, Davis received a phone call from Joseph Suarez, a father he had never met.

According to Suarez and others in the family, Davis was himself a missing child. In addition, birth records provided by the Suarez family indicated Davis and his brothers were Apache and distant relatives to Geronimo.

Davis was overwhelmed. After talking with his birth family he discovered that as an infant, their mother had allegedly abducted him and his two older brothers. She then gave the sons up for adoption. Their father, paternal grandmother and other family members had been looking for the missing boys for more than 24 years.

“Supposedly my mom told my real father’s family she was taking us out for lunch. She never came back,” Davis said.

Soon after, Johnny and Rebecca Davis legally adopted Davis and his brothers.

Throughout the course of his life, Davis had tried to connect with his real mother with little success. “I have only talked to my mom about three times in my life. I tried to ask her about my real father and all she ever told me was, ‘he was a crazy Indian, I don’t want you to know who he is.’”

“It was tough. My brothers were making unwise choices and getting into trouble in public school. My adoptive mother and father were concerned that I might start getting into trouble as well. So they sent me to the Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch.”

Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, a privately funded child and family service provider specializing in residential and community-based services, was the answer to Davis’ problems. He excelled in the program and graduated high school with a scholarship to college.

“I have to give that place a lot of credit. I had many anger issues because of my birth mother that I didn’t understand. But Cal Farley got me into anger management classes, I played sports, and I got a job. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about that place.”

Davis had been practicing the guitar for many years and even though he started college, he decided to pursue music instead. He self-recorded some acoustic pieces. One of those CD’s made its way to Davis’ current manager, Rick Dellagatta.

“After listening to his music, I felt Maurice was an incredible singer-songwriter with talent. One of his songs, ‘The Article,’ instantly jumped out at me. I knew that he needed to be in the Hoboken, N.J. area to get the education and exposure to reach the next level of music,” Dellagatta said.

Davis left Texas and signed a management deal with Dellagatta. Within a short time, Davis also signed as a solo artist with Water Music and Infidel Records. It was about this time that Davis wrote “Missing Children.”

Not long after, Davis received the phone call from his father. “It was Christmas in 2007, and my brother told me, ‘I think our dad just called us.’ I had to perform a small gig and I was on autopilot.

“It was weird how things happened. I had a cousin who passed away, and someone in the Davis family found a piece of paper with the Suarez phone number on it. It was through that number that we got in touch with our father.”

Since that time, Davis has met with his father. “It was really nice to see him. It really felt good, and we are going to get together more in the future.”

Overall, Davis was excited to learn that he is American Indian, but he hardly knows what to make of the fact that he is a relative of Geronimo. “I really don’t know what to think, it’s exciting, but I don’t know much more than what I learned in eighth grade history. I look forward to learning about my ancestry.”

Since writing “Missing Children,” Water Music recording company agreed to produce the song with renowned producer Michael Barbiero. Once produced, Davis will perform a concert tour in support of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Davis currently tours large and small venues for colleges and other boys and girls clubs.

In light of his situation, Davis wants to continue giving back to help others. “My life is bigger than just selling music. I hope that we can do something bigger than just sell records. I want to do something good with my life.”