Tony Roy keeping the music alive

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

Since his years as a student at Seaforth High School in St Thomas, Tony Roy has never been far from music. Back then, he was a member of the Chosen People band, his first serious music assignment.

Thirty-odd years later, Roy is still working the bandstand as a singer on the Maryland/Washington DC circuit. Recently, he released his debut album, Waiting List, which is distributed in the United States by Mudies Records and by Stringbean International Records in Europe.

Roy is currently pushing two songs from the album, Jus' Gwaan and Yard Mi Born.

The former, originally recorded in 1985, is the singer's first-ever song and was self-produced.

This time around, Fitzroy Gordon did production duties on Jus' Gwaan, which Roy says is a popular part of his live set.

"Wi been doing it in the clubs an' get a lotta good feedback so wi decide fi do it again," Roy said in a recent Gleaner interview.

Inspiration

Yard Mi Born was also inspired by Roy's work in Washington DC clubs like JoJo's, the Bukom Café and Cross Road. He said fans are always asking about Jamaica or where he is from.

Roy has lived in Baltimore, Maryland, since 1997 and has gradually etched a name for himself on that city's growing reggae scene. Shortly after moving there, he joined the Rising Sun and Covenant bands as a drummer, but switched to singing in the last decade.

He has performed on some of his adopted city's bigger Caribbean events, such as the 2010 Jamaica Day Outdoor Reggae Festival which also featured Freddie McGregor and Tanya Stephens.

Most of Roy's live dates come in the 'DC' area which has always had a strong reggae presence through clubs, independent radio and aggressive record labels like RAS Records.

Tony Roy says he hopes to release Waiting List in Jamaica sometime in 2012.