There is something about American country music that always appealed to Wesrok. Maybe it’s because he was raised in rural Jamaica where folks are generally humble and hardworking, traits found in the United States Midwest and South. It is one of the reasons he believes fans gravitate toward his songs including Born As A Winner, which is number one on the Foundation Radio Network NY Chart for the past three weeks.
Born As A Winner was released early this year and is from Look At Me Now, his debut EP which came out in April. “Country music is really a story, usually about a group of people from humble beginnings; it speaks about (things like) the farm and the reality of growing up poor,” said Wesrok. Those themes, he added, are not much different from many reggae songs. “Reggae music has that similarity. Jamaica is a Third World country and largely poor. Many of the artists sing about the reality around them, their poor upbringing and state of the country.” Jamaicans have a long love affair with country music, or country and western as it was previously known. The songs of Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins and Skeeter Davis are loved by conservatives and hardcore dancehall artists who have covered many of their songs.
The down-home nature and catchy melodies of country stars like Kenny Rogers and Charlie Pride caught the ears of Wesrok as a boy. Even when he was a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, he had eyes on a recording career. That took shape in May, 2020 when he cut his first song, Looking Back, which was followed by Poor Country Boy. Like its predecessors, Born As A Winner is self-produced. Wesrok is not surprised it has done well in New York and South Florida (No.14) where the Jamaican immigrant has thrived for decades. “This is the kind of song they want to listen to because they can relate to it. It gives them a sense of comfort,” he said.
You must log in to post a comment.