Recently as life’s challenges have seemed unsurmountable, like climbing a frosty ass glacier in just my adidas warm ups, I have managed to overcome that sense of helplessness and improbability, because of one secret.
Sly Dunbar wants ‘Free Your Mind’ to be a hit, he loves the video, and is happy to tell people about it.
Because of the support of a lot of good people, my one in million shot at making a real career out of this is more like facing a damn good pitcher before the 7th inning stretch.
I am not depressed. But I have my reasons to be traditionally uplifted, beyond those real life blues I poured into my first album, 12th Street Blues. Which after all was just a coming of age story and me fighting the good fight sort of melencholy, which I actually LOVE.
…I am not depressed because I am fully medicated. On music. It ain’t the answer for everybody, but music can help everybody.
Musicians can help everybody. But musicians need a lot of help to help anybody.
Dan Schmidt told me years ago an African proverb that has colored the lens of my outlook on life. He told me about two brothers that get lost in the wilderness. One is a farmer. The other is a musician. The musician falls ill from starvation. The farmer feeds his brother a piece of his own leg, and the musician asks why and how he could do such a thing.
The farmer tells his brother straight up,
“You’re a musician broseph, you can’t make it on your own. I want you to keep on jammin’. The Harvest Festie line up won’t be the same without you. And I love you bro.”
Not much has changed with streaming. But the support of everyone matters. Immensely.
I don’t want to naw on anyone’s leg. Not yet. But to get ‘Free Your Mind’ on the charts in 20 more countries, I will need help.
…and man you’ll love the results on your social calendar and non toxic organic party lifestyle, if I get a gold record in Ireland. It’s not actually thaaat hard to go Gold in Ireland and Mauritania.
So the moral of this story is, be somebody’s Sly Dunbar. It makes a difference. I promise.
Davin’s new song has become a global earworm and Caribbean dancehall hit. Listen here on Reggaeville: DAVIN MICHAEL STEDMAN & ANTHONY RED ROSE – FREE YOUR MIND FEAT. SLY & ROBBIE WITH LENKY MARSDEN. The video is now available on Youtube.
– Musician and writer Davin Michael Stedman has many ventures, such as the AMAZING blog, 100milesofmusic.com. In the spring of 2018 he spent weeks networking in and reporting from Kingston, Jamaica. He will return there soon for more recording. His single with British band Sherlock Soul is available here.
