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"We Be Jammin', Jammin'!"
We Hope You Like Jammin', Too
Welcome to the column dedicated to the music from the ‘loudest little island in the world-Jamaica’.
by Beryl

Reggae Legend, Burning Spear, Jams with You and Me!



Burning Spear asking the crowd at “The Downtown in Farmingdale, “Are you out there people?” during his electrifying performance. Access provided by Beth Davis of StreamRIng TV.

I had the honor to meet and interview Burning Spear, a true legend in reggae history. Born Winston Rodney in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica, Burning Spear has been on the reggae scene since 1972 when his debut album, “Burning Spear” with its breakout hit “Joe Frazier” made it big. He has since released over 30 recordings that includes his newest release entitled, “Free Man.” He is known as a Black Historian of Africa and is a Rastafarian preacher. Nominated for 7 Grammy Awards in the Reggae category, he won Best Reggae Album for “Calling Rastafari.” He has his own production and recording label now, also. Spear came up in the biz with such greats as Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff. Spear has also been on the silver screen in the film, “Rockers”, playing himself and the documentary, “The Reggae Movie,” performing his great music. He also worked on the soundtrack with Jimmy Cliff for “The Harder They Come”. Kickin’ it with Spear was informative and educational, so read on, reggae fans! You
are in for a treat!
SGIB: It’s an honor to meet a true legend. Where do you live now?
BS: I go back and forth between Jamaica and right now I am located in New York City.
SGIB: Where did you come up with your stage name of Burning Spear?
BS: I think the name came from Kenya. Joe Makenia was once called Burning Spear. Joe Makenia was the first Republican President of Kenya. I was told about the name from another person. I did a lot of reading about African history, so based upon the kinds of sounds I was singing and writing, I was thinking that the name like Burning Spear would be the right name for the sounds you heard when I was singing.
SGIB: That’s very good. What inspired you to get into the music business in the first place?
BS: Well, to be honest, I wasn’t thinking music when I was first coming up. I didn’t even know it was going to be like this. But, of course, I was listening to music when I was first coming up and I listening to the Hip Tones, Tom Blinz, Dennis Brown-people like those. Those people I was listening to before I felt the vibes of music. In 1969, music started to grow inside me and identified the music was there. At some point I met Bob (Marley) and I asked Bob where do I go to make some music and Bob sent me to Studio 1 and from that time until this time, the Spear’s been burning.
SGIB: Who were some of your mentors coming up besides Bob Marley?
BS: I listened to various music. I listen to a lot of blues. I listen to jazz, pop, R & B. I was listening to a lot of Curtis Mayfield and the King of Soul, James Brown. I was a wide listener- Arema Kiba from Africa and Falla. It gives me a lot of inspiration and I am inspired by all that music and the musicians.
SGIB: That’s impressive that you are so diverse in your musical taste. A lot of readers ask me to explain what the Rastafarian religion is. I know you won a Grammy for your Album, “Calling Rastafari”. I do not explain it very well and you are a Rastafarian preacher. Can you explain to our readers?
BS: It’s a way of life. You have to feel it and practice that way of life. With living in this life, no one is perfect. Rastafari is a conception, a concept. It’s a way of life where you know the way of life and everything is in that way of life. It’s no different than living life than other people, but I think it involves a lot of discipline and respect and love I feel.
SGIB: A lot of your messages in your music is about the love, the peace and the unity. Does this album reflect the same messages?
BS: Of course.
SGIB: How did it feel to win a Grammy after all those nominations? You had 7 nominations before finally winning.
BS: It’s good when you can win something, you know. Fans watching what you do and music is what I have. Music is what I give. It’s good and it’s plain to see that I been in music and doing things and even before I won the Grammy, I was winning for a lot of the time. Winning the Grammy was another level of something from the music industry. I respect that. I think that is very long-standing. Something to show that I was there and that’s what I achieved from there. It’s very humbling to win a Grammy. There are people, hundreds of thousands of people who were there before me, trying to win Grammy’s in a different category of music. Some weren’t even nominated. Somehow I was nominated and never been a winner but now I am a winner in my category, which is Reggae. It feels very good!




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