KINGSTON, Jamaica – Duane Stephenson is the bright new sound on the Jamaican reggae music scene. Stephenson formerly of To-Isis is now pursuing a solo career and has just released his first album From August Town on the VP label. The album features mostly new material with a few familiar tracks. The video for Fairy Tale, one of the high quality songs on the album, has just been released.
Fairy Tale is a soothing ode to the struggles of life and is aimed at inspiring the oppressed and disheartened. With good composition and arrangement, thanks to the mastery of reggae icon Dean Fraser, the song is a hit. The video for Fairy Tale directed by Oral Napier featuring Lamont Savary on Acoustic guitar was shot in Kingston and successfully mirrors the message that the song conveys.
Duane Stephenson
According to Duane Fairy Tale is an ode to all who have had to come through struggle. His favourite scene from the video is the shot where a child comes home to his grandmother with a good report card and after some hesitation, due to her own struggles, the grandmother gives the child the adoration and compliments he deserves.
When asked what he would like to achieve with the video for Fairy Tale and the album From August Town, Duane said “I would love for people to sit, watch and listen to good music without violence without hate. Music that fills you with love and hope”.
Duane Stephenson is the former lead singer of the group TO-ISIS
Duane was born to parents Patricia Rutherford and Norman Stephenson in Kingston, Jamaica on April 22, 1976. His early years were spent in a little town in eastern St. Andrew known as August Town. August Town has an air rich in culture and music and has produced many talented artists such as The Rastafarians, Colin Roach and more currently Sizzla Kolongi.
Duane’s exposure to music was inevitable as music was a big part of his family. His uncle Michael Rutherford was the lead singer of a popular band known as Sunny Bradshaw and the Big Band and Rhythms Kings band. During this time he was exposed to music from artists such as Kenny Rogers, BB King, Al Greene, the Temptations, Chi Lites and the Manhattans to name a few.
Duane attended New Providence All-Age and Tivoli Gardens High School where he was a member of the choir. In 1993, Duane was encouraged by a friend to join the Cathy Levy’s Little People & Team Players Club, a performing arts school based in Kingston Jamaica. This helped to groom and shape Duane into the performer he is today.
Being a member of this club allowed Duane to travel extensively throughout Jamaica, the Caribbean as well as the United States where he performed for former US president Bill Clinton.
Duane then became the lead singer of a six member-singing group known as ToIsis, which was formed with other members of the Cathy Levy Club in 1997. The group went on to be one of the most recognised vocal groups in Jamaica, with their class, style and professionalism.
Duane is a remarkable songwriter and has penned for artists such as Luciano, Morgan Heritage and most notable Jah Cure with the mega hit
“Reflections”, a song which became an anthem.
Duane has also been trying a hand at producing and has done work on the “Reflections” album and on Taurus Riley’s “Parable” and “Mystic Routes Journey”.
In August 2006, Duane decided to leave To-Isis and take center stage and shine on his very own as a solo act. Duane has signed a two album deal with Vp records and has completed the first of the two, which is entitled “From August Town”, under the watchful eye of Dean “Sax” Fraser. The album features tracks “August Town, Dream Weaver and Ghetto Pain”. There are also collaborations with Anthony B, Mystic Routes, Rochelle Bradshaw and label brother Taurus Riley.
“From August Town” is very poetic and at the same time current, with beautiful but rough edged vocals pushing the boundaries to what we now know as Roots Reggae.
In July 2007, the world found out what many Jamaicans already knew after experiencing From August Town you may never look at reggae music the same way again. Duane ‘Soul Roots’ Stephenson from August Town, the man, the music, the album.
