Melody Holt, who now goes by Melody Shari, is one of the leading faces of the hit OWN series Love & Marriage: Huntsville. The reality TV show was the brainchild of both Melody and her now ex-husband, Martell Holt. The show documents the pair’s real estate ventures while highlighting five other Black real estate professionals.
The executive producer of Love & Marriage: Huntsville and the host of OWN’s Behind Every Man, Melody has a lot on her plate. She’s a mother, writer, singer, and businesswoman who’s publicly dealt with a rocky divorce and ongoing feuds on national TV. From rumors of infidelity, custody battles, and new girlfriends, Melody seems to take it all in stride.
Learn more about this Love & Marriage: Huntsville star.
Not Much is Known About Melody’s Father
Melody was born on November 11, 1985, in Brundidge, Alabama. Her mother is Vanessa Rodgers Tracy, the author of “Ushered Yet Abandoned: The Mask Of A First Lady”. Less is known about her father but it’s reported that Melody’s parents were never married and that Melody was not close to her father.
The topic of Melody’s father led to a messy situation on Love and Marriage. Melody’s mother was at the center of rumors that she was the “side chick” of Melody’s father, but Vanessa Rodgers Tracy publicly debunked those allegations.
Melody Met Her Now Ex-Husband When They Were Both Working as Middle School Teachers
After graduating from Alabama A&M University, Melody got a job as a middle school English teacher. It was at the middle school where she met Martell Holt who also worked at the school as a teacher.
Melody got married to Martell in July 2008. The two decided to quit teaching and become business partners. They had four children together: a son, Martell Jr., and three daughters named Mariah, Malani, and Maliah.
Melody Is Still Business Partners with her Ex-Husband
Shortly after getting married, Melody and Martell became business partners. They started a lawn care business named “Holt & Holt Entrepreneurship, LLC” and it specialized in lawn care, property restoration, rehab, and preservation. Holt & Holt evolved and grew into one of the top-rated rehabilitation, home expansion, and restoration companies in all of America. After starting the business as amateurs, the couple was able to grow the operation into a multi-million dollar enterprise in just seven years.
Melody has been the CEO of Holts & Holts Entrepreneurship, LLC since 2010. In 2020, the couple filed for divorce amidst rumors of infidelity. But despite the divorce, Melody, and Martell maintain a good business relationship as business partners. They also share custody of their four kids.
Melody Has Several Streams of Income
In addition to being the co-founder and CEO of Holt & Holt Entrepreneurship and a TV personality, Melody is also an entrepreneur and a motivational speaker. Some of her entrepreneurial pursuits include being the mastermind behind the MBrace Beauty Brand, the Holt Preservation Academy, and the forthcoming Seventh Avenue Skincare line. In 2020, she launched her latest venture, Masterclass With Melody, which she describes as “a five-week training course that teaches participants how to launch and build their very own property preservation business.” Melody also has various motivational speech gigs, such as her Mimosas with Melody series, a women’s empowerment brunch that brings women from various professional and business backgrounds together as they share real stories and advice on careers, love, and relationships.
