Full steam
ahead

>> On board with reggae perennial Freddie McGregor

by SCOTT C

You might think it’s hard to live up to the title of Jamaica’s supreme reggae ambassador, but when you’ve been around as long as singer/songwriter/producer Freddie McGregor, it’s just another notch on the belt. For almost 40 years, reggae’s most consistent recording artist has been contributing music made from the heart and soul, starting from his now legendary Studio One beginnings with Coxsone Dodd, right up to his own label Big Ship Records in 2002.

Mirror: You’ve gone through a lot of changes over all the years that you’ve been involved in the various incarnations of reggae music. At this point in your career, what would you say has been the most difficult change to make as a reggae performer?
Freddie McGregor: To me, it’s not so much of a change, y’know? It’s more of a challenge. With all the different artists, and all the musical styles, that in itself has always been a challenge, just to stay with the music. From 1963 until 2002 is quite a feat, y’know?

M: I’d say that’s living up to the challenge—
FM: Yeah, man. I put that pressure on myself. I have to ask, “Do I have a choice?” I don’t think I have a choice.

M: You can’t argue that in reggae music, there’s a lot of talent that comes and goes. The one-year-in-next-year-out type of artists who often cash in on one song. Is the notion that you have to change imposed upon you by the industry, or is it something you make a conscious decision to do?
FM: Most of them I choose. This has been my career and my life for 39 years. My life. So, basically I have to put everything into it. If I was to become an engineer, I would have tried to become the best engineer. If I was going to become a pilot, I would become the best pilot ever. So in terms of my career, I try to be the best, or one of the best. The result is what comes out in my music.

M: How involved are you in the day-to-day running of your label, Big Ship?
FM: I’m not as involved as I would love to be. My daughter runs the office, and my nephew runs the studio. The studio is always functioning 24-7. Ernest Ranglin just did some work there, and we’re still doing a lot of production. My kids are getting involved, and basically running things, so I take it a day at a time. I try to concentrate a lot on my projects, because when a new CD comes out, the time it takes to go on the road and promote the record—soon it’s time to think about a new one, y’know? A lot of work.

M: Are there advantages to keeping it in the family?
FM: It’s good to see my kids loving the music and taking an active role. That makes me feel good. It’s not something that was imposed. I just built them a cottage studio and they’re there every day, and they love it and want to become a part of it. They’re running things. :

With Tinga Stewart at Rainbow on Sunday, July 21, 9:30pm, $20

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