Everton Blender

Born 54-years ago in the Clarendon parish on Maxfield Avenue, deep in the heart of Kingston, Jamaica, Everton Dennis Williams....better known as 'Everton Blender', began performing as a teenager by singing the songs of his reggae hero 'Dennis Brown'.

Using the name "Babbaru", he won an amateur talent contest on his second try, and went on to perform with the 'Destiny Outer national', 'Master Voice', and 'Santex' sound systems, thus releasing several singles...including, "Where is Love", and "Ba Ba Black Sheep".

However, by 1985 Blender had failed to achieve commercial success, and returned to his first trade as a house painter and decorater. Then, in 1991 Blender's friend and rising reggae star "Garnet Silk" introduced him to record producer 'Richard Bell', who signed Blender to his "Star Trail" label.

This second time around spelled immediate success for Blender with "We No Jus' a Come" becoming a big hit in Jamaica.  His stardom then spread to the United Kingdom, where his first album 'Lift Up Your Head' reached number four on the 'Black Echoes' music chart.

As further albums and singles followed, Blender's friend Garnet Silk achieved similar success, and both artists became prominent influences during the 1990's return to cultural reggae. Unfortunately, Silk's life was cut short in 1994 when he was killed trying to save his mother's life in a house fire.

Blender went on to record eleven more albums over the next twelve years, including a collection of his early singles tracks called "Piece of Da Blender; The Singles" in 1996.  Blender also managed to start up his own label called "Blend Dem Productions", and worked with artists like 'President Brown', 'Admiral Tibet', 'Louie Culture', 'Jah Mason', 'Spanner Banner', 'Richie Spice', and 'Anthony B'.

Blender has also toured world-wide to enthusiastic audiences, trying to spread the reggae culture.  In Africa he once said, "They need to know about their culture...and some people like to come out and see da Jamaican culture too".

I'm sure many have, and when they did.... they saw and heard Everton Blender's award winning, crooning, tenor vocals which seem to capture an up-tempo, spiritually uplifting sound that finally bridges the gap between 'roots reggae' and Jamaican 'dancehall'.  It's all just Everton....Blending it SMOOTH! 

 Thanks, and stay tuned to Streetwise Radio at www.Streetwisesd.com

Sincerely,   PeteCam4