TD IRIE MUSIC FESTIVAL MUSIC HEADLINERS

NATHAN PHILIPS SQUARE

RICHIE STEPHENS:

Richie Stephens began his career in the late 1980s but made his breakthrough in the early '90s by scoring a string of hits for various producers like Top Ranking, King Jammys, Steelie and Clevie, Danny Browne and Donovan Germaine. Stephens, who is often referred to as the Golden Voice of Jamaica, was also a member of the internationally acclaimed R&B group, Soul II Soul, in the early 1990s. After severing ties with the legendary Motown Records in 1996, Stephens, who in the earlier part of his career concentrated on signing smooth ballads, created his Pot of Gold label and turned his focus to dancehall music. A slew of hits soon followed, including songs such asFight Backwhich was done with the late iconic reggae singer Garnett Silk. Another major hit for Stephens was the dancehall mega hit titledManiac,which was a collaboration with another Jamaican music iconic figure, Bounty Killer. To say that Richie Stephens is one of Jamaica's best singers would not be an error, as he amassed a rather impressive catalogue of hit singles and top-quality albums over the years. He has successfully experimented with various genres, including reggae, dancehall, R&B and Gospel.

HALF PINT:

Half Pint’s diminutive stature belies not only his vocal capabilities but also camouflages his huge on-stage presence, often described as no less than explosive and dynamic. Born Lindon Roberts, but affectionately called Half Pint, he is a product of the West Kingston enclave of Rose Lane, a community in adjacent proximity to Trenchtown which has produced the likes of Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Peter Tosh, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Toots Hibbert and a host of other international Reggae superstars. Pint toured the island with various sound systems including Black Scorpio, Jammys, Gemini, Lee’s Unlimited and Killimanjaro, earning respect along the way as a talented vocalist and performer. In 1983, Pint’s first single, “Sally,” was released followed by “Winsome,” the virtual anthem of the day. He continued to bombard the local and international Reggae scenes with a slew of hits, including “Mr. Landlord,” “Level the Vibes,” “Substitute Lover” and the massive chart topper, “Victory.” Besides hit singles, Roberts has also managed to deliver an impressive cache of albums, most of which are still in demand worldwide. His colossal fan base is universal and remains consistently dedicated, especially in Europe, Japan, Brazil, and the West Coast of the United States.

MISSISSAUGA CELEBRATION SQUARE

BUNJI GARLIN

Already being hailed as an iconic artist by regional music critics, Bunji Garlin is one of the few soca since he broke through with the runaway hit, "Send Dem Riddem Crazy" almost a decade ago. The Asylum Band led by Bunji was the most sought after band by promoters and people alike throughout Carnival 2010 in his native Trinidad. Bunji's charismatic performance style coupled with edgy lyrics floating on intoxicating rhythms keeps audiences returning for more. Bunji continues to be recognized as the number one ragga-soca artist of all time. He has won the coveted International Soca Monarch title four times to date. In the past decade, Bunji has released more than eight full length CD and has also collaborated with some of the most respected calypsonians, chutney, reggae and hip-hop artists including Singing Sandra, Freddie McGregor and Allure.

ETANA

Born Shauna McKenzie in August Town, Jamaica, Etana shined as the only girl amongst a mostly male family. From early on, Etana thrived for making music. Attending school in Jamaica until roughly 1992 and moving to Florida, education was always of great importance to the songstress. Etana was especially interested in an innovative blend of music genre that she grew up on and credits a wealth of artists for influencing her love of music, ranging from Reggae stars Bob Marley, Marcia Griffiths and Sizzla Kalongi to R&B crooners like Whitney Houston, Lauren Hill and Jill Scott, among others. Before her solo debut, Etana took on many gigs. She landed a slot in the girl group “GIFT,” which was a brainchild of Universal Records. Etana walked away from music completely and returned to Jamaica to open a business. Etana has been afforded with extensive visibility in 2009, performing in locales throughout the world, including an impressive performance at the Johannesburg 2009 Arts Alive Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa. Notably, for this performance, the soulful songstress was handpicked by the governments of Jamaica and South Africa. Other milestones include unforgettable sets at several high profile music festivals like Reggae Sumfest, Irie Jamboree and the Soul Beach Music Festival in Aruba – where Etana shared the stage with the likes of Jamie Foxx, Common and Robin Thicke. Clearly, this performance exposed Etana’s music to a diverse audience. Etana’s latest single “August Town” is being heralded by fans as a great, thought provoking song.

OSHAWA MEMORIAL PARK

WAYNE WONDER:

The sensual, honeyed vocals of Reggae dancehall singer Wayne Wonder havemade him a consistent hit maker since the late 80s. His early exposure to vintage 45's are cited as one of his earliest influences. He went on to record with the legendary creator of dub, the late King Tubby, and first caught the public's attention with his cover version of heartthrob Rick Astley's "Never Gonna GiveYou Up." In 2002, Wayne earned the first #1 hit of his career pledging a lifetime of devotion on the sweetly romantic hit"No Letting Go"recorded with Steve "Lenky"Marsden, Tony Kelly and the legendary Sly Dunbar. Wayne also anchored the hit track "Anything Goes" (w/ CNN: Capone & N.O.R.E and Lexxus) for the Def Jamaica compilationwhich received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album. More recently, Wayne is writing and producing many of the tracks and collaborations with producers Tony Kelly and Don Corleone.