| BY KEDIESHA PERRY— Observer writer— |
AUGUST 14, 2021 was recognized by the city of Hartford in Connecticut as Freddie McGregor Day. The latest accolade was bestowed on the veteran singer for his five decades of contribution to reggae music during the annual West Indian Independence Celebration in that city.
“I performed in Connecticut on several occasions and I always have a good time with my fans, so the National Council [of Connecticut] decided to recognize August 14 as my day. I appreciate every single one of these accolades and I’m grateful to all my fans in Jamaica, the Caribbean and Diaspora. This is more reason for me to continue working, because without the music there would be no Freddie McGregor,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
“A Freddie McGregor Day in Hartford is welcomed by me. People recognized that I’ve done my work and people love Freddie. They decided that it was deserving and anything that my fans bestow is highly appreciated,” he continued.
According to McGregor, it is not the first time he is receiving an honour of this nature, and they only serve as a career boost.
“This is not the first time. Mi get hundreds [of accolades] and mi appreciate them… I have keys for the length and breadth of Florida, I have keys to the city of Miramar, the city of Hollywood, the city of Palm Beach and continue all the way up… I have citations from New York, I have citations from Connecticut, different cities in Connecticut,” he said.
In 2017 McGregor was presented with the key to the city of Mount Vernon in New York.
The latest official proclamation, signed by Councilwoman Shirley Surgeon, read in part: “Mr. McGregor has made significant contributions to the art form of reggae music. He created many hits and worked with talented artistes and musicians whose music has inspired many current artistes and continues to inspire future musical talents… We pay tribute to one of reggae’s most prolific musicians whose musical genius, passion, talent, unstoppable work ethic, and cultural contribution has served as an inspiration to us all.”
McGregor said he is booked for several shows and is still putting in the work.
“A day after the presentation was made we had a Stone Love concert in Connecticut and it was ‘ram packed’. You would think I was in Africa because there were so many Kenyans. I have shows coming up in New York and London and those have been sold out already…over 13,000 tickets have been sold for the concert in London,” he added.
McGregor, whose career began at seven, is a former member of The Clarendonians. He has been one of reggae’s front-runners for decades, even earning a Grammy nomination for his 2016 set True To My Roots.
He is known for songs including Big Ship, Push Comes to Shove, Just Don’t Wanna Be Lonely, and I’m a Winner.
In 2013 he received a Marcus Garvey Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes individuals of Caribbean or Caribbean-American descent who have been instrumental in the development or creation of an essential facet of Caribbean culture.
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