…after a stupendous career

GUYANA has undoubtedly produced some talented artistes but no one can debate the fact that one of the most iconic, successful, respectable, and loved singers/composers of all time is the country’s very own, Dave Martins.

Much can be said about this prestigious individual’s career, but while relaxing comfortably in his Nibbi chair and petting one of his dogs at his abode, the 88-year-old legend, in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Chronicle, described himself as a country boy who was born and raised in the village of Hague in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) to Joseph and Zepherina Martins.

However, at the tender age of 10, his parents relocated to Vreed-en-Hoop where he completed his primary education and went on to attend St. Stanislaus College in Georgetown. And this is where the young Martins developed an interest in literature, music, and a love for different languages.

He fondly recalled that his mother was the one who enjoyed playing and singing songs while his father farmed extensively in the Pomeroon River in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

Dave enjoyed travelling back and forth with his dad from Pomeroon to Vreed-en-Hoop, which allowed him to interact with a number of people he encountered along the way. The conversations would entail their “real life” stories, which he found fascinating, and because of those conversations, Dave believes the composer/musical side of him was triggered.

Dave also credited the Trinidadian Calypso, which in those days had “drama, suspense, comedy, bravery, and power in the music. I became familiar with the old Trinidad Calypso music from recordings, and I knew I wanted to do that type of music but with my twist.”

How was Trade Winds formed?
After some time, Dave said that he and his family moved to Toronto, Canada, and, there, he was exposed to the “business side” of his musical life. According to him, one day he came across an advertisement in the newspaper for a new Caribbean band. He applied, got through, and played with four other musicians. The band (the Debonairs) was hired to play for six evenings a week, and they performed exceptionally well.

The band moved away from the traditional Latin music to playing a calypso-heavy blend. For several years, the band performed in this style, but Dave’s life was adversely affected by the demanding schedule, and in 1963, he quit his weekly job and only performed at the weekends, but the music kept calling him, and in 1966, he founded an entirely new Caribbean band and named it “The Trade Winds.”

“We were a natural group who loved the music, the stories, and the people, and we just grew. When we started to record, Canada didn’t have any radio stations that played Caribbean music as they do now, and so we were the pioneers at that time. The market was there at the time, and if you had started a band with good music, you would have gotten work, which we did.

“I don’t know why I felt like I needed to write the type of music that I did, but I knew I must be true to myself and my roots, which are in Guyana. The song about the honeymooning couple, I wrote that from a joke that I heard, and it blew up, and of course the famous ‘Not a blade of grass’ came from the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. I also wanted people to relate to what I was singing and get a message from the songs, so I wrote and sang about what was happening at the moment.”

Advice to young artists
Dave agreed that money is a big factor in a person’s life; however, he wants young artistes to know that they should have a passion and a love for what they do and everything else will fall into place. He advised young singers to write the type of music that people will enjoy, love, and relate to.

“I am hesitant to give people advice because no one gave me any about my career path or much of my life, but what I found on my own is that you have to have an interest in what you do. Do not write or sing just because you want to; think about what you are singing; don’t just sing whatever comes to your mind; listen to it and hear if it makes sense before you put it out there,” the musician said.

Dave expressed that he was grateful to his parents, especially his mother, for instilling in him the values of life and the importance of his faith, which he believes is responsible for him living a “clean” life, away from drugs or “bad” company.

“I could have lived a different life because I was exposed to a lot in my career, but I remembered my mother and my family and the trust they had in me. I am also thankful to my wife Annette; she is a gem in my life and that of my three children.”

As much as Dave loves his music these days, he enjoys the simpler side of life while relaxing with his wife, Annette and exploring the country. According to him, there is no place in the world he would rather be than right here in beautiful Guyana.