BY HOWARD CAMPBELL—-
Summer has been a busy period for reggae artists for 40 years. Bob Marley, Desmond Dekker, Burning Spear and Peter Tosh were some of the music’s pioneer road warriors. Today, the Jamaica Observer starts a series looking at artists, booking agents and shows active during this period.
Freddie McGregor is one of the reggae veterans on the tour circuit this summer. The 60-year-old singer has been on the road for over 30 years.
He kicks off his European campaign on Friday with the first of three dates at O2 venues in the United Kingdom.
The veteran singer, whose latest album True To My Roots will be released June 1 in Japan, opens at the O2 Academy in Manchester.
McGregor has a number of North American spot dates in June and July, including the Washington DC Jerk Festival and his Big Ship Boat Ride in Toronto, Canada.
A month-long trek of Europe by McGregor’s Big Ship camp (which includes his sons Chino and Stephen) starts July 28. They are scheduled to play a number of top festivals including Rototom Sunsplash in Spain.
Next on the McGregor itinerary are a clutch of shows in Japan at the Blue Note clubs, starting August 29.
True To My Roots has already spawned two hit singles — What You Gonna Do and the title song.
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