by Howard Campbell
LAUDERHILL – For the past six years, Dave Richards has quietly put in place a structure at Homebred Records, the production company he operates in South Florida. In November, the veteran musician officially launched it on his birthday in Lauderhill.
Richards is the longtime bass guitarist for Shaggy, who was one of the guests at the event. He told South Florida Caribbean News that Homebred Records will be more up front in 2024.
“Homebred has been around for a long time. We have been playing together since Michael and Dave Jr. (two of my sons) started to play music, but we actually started to do our own shows and musical productions from around 2017. You will start to see and hear lots more!” Richards declared.
To date, Richards and his team have produced songs by Big Youth, Marcia Griffiths, Glen Washington, Julian Marley and Hopeton Lindo. While reggae and dancehall is the label’s main focus, Richards said versatility is one of Homebred Records’ strong points.
“Our label produces all types of music, the thing with Homebred is the spirit, the chemistry and the feel of the music. We execute quality productions ranging from live to electronic productions, all dependent on the mood needed for that project,” he noted. “The goal of Homebred is to spread love all over the world with this musical experience. It’s not just a song or a show or an album, it’s an experience.”
Born in Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, Richards grew up in Spanish Town, the country’s first capital. His biggest influences on bass are the legendary Robbie Shakespeare and smooth jazz icon Jaco Pastorious.
Richards has played on a number of hit songs including Sizzla’s Woman I Need You and Akon’s Mama Africa as well as Sting and Shaggy’s Grammy-winning album, 44/876.
He has toured with Ky-Mani Marley, Burning Spear and Yellowman, and backed other big acts such as Freddie McGregor and Etana.
Since 2013, Richards has played a major role in Shaggy’s recording and touring unit. It has been one of his career highlights.
“I have been touring the world with Shaggy for about 10 years now and it’s been an amazing experience playing with him live and in the studio,” he said.
