“It’s a great idea to give people flowers while they are alive and so I’m on the boat in the interest of the development of the Guyanese music industry as an artiste,” says Sherlock Whyte, aka Daddy Rusty.

He and 21 other artistes based in the Diaspora, including Aubrey Mann, Donna Makeeda, Zebulun De Counsellor, Kapa Shanti, Prince Ally and Mandela Manning etc. support the cause of the Guyanese Canadian Artistic Entertainment to create a network of Guyanese artistes and entertainers the world over.

Though not as popular in Guyana as he is in the Canadian Guyanese circles, after 10 years away from the local scene, the Berbice-born, Daddy Rusty, has returned home to support the development of the industry as has the other Diaspora-based artistes.

Like the rest, he will be part of the Guyana Musical Sunsplash carded for April 24 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, then on April 25 he will be among the awardees at the Guyana Artistic Music Awards.

Daddy Rusty started singing and spinning records as a boy in Guyana on his brother’s sound system. At age ten, he joined the church choir and thereafter began entering a few music and Deejay competitions, which led him on a journey to becoming an artiste.

In 1990, Daddy Rusty relocated to Canada to further his music career and has since won several awards and trophies internationally.

His first single "Teach the youth" was distributed by Tuff Gong records, Bob Marley’s company in Jamaica, and was voted Top Reggae Single at the Canadian Reggae Music Awards. In 2004, he released his first CD titled “Love and Unity” which was very successful and won many awards.

He is no stranger to the entertainment industry, and has shared the stage with several well-known international artistes including: the Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose, Rupee, Bunji Garlin, Shurwayne Winchester and Machel Montano also Reggae artistes like Beenie man, Morgan Heritage, Everton Blender and Elephant Man.

Rusty has toured Europe and the United States, where he performed at the World Reggae Music Awards in Atlanta and has made appearances in several Caribbean countries.

Daddy Rusty has a new CD dubbed "Bless Me" which he believes can be an inspiration to the young people anywhere.

It is due out in August. Now that Rusty is finally recording this kind of music, he realises that it’s the direction that he was always originally supposed to move in. “I believe that the music coming out of Guyana is great and I hope that the relevant authorities will recognise this and work towards making sure that the artistes and producers get their dues through the implementation of copy rights legislation.”

Like the others, he is encouraging Guyanese music lovers to come out and support their own. Also cared to perform are Major Joe B aka the Firenese, Jumo, Shelly G, Vanilla and First Born.

(by Mondale Smith)

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