Stage and Screen Star Sister Carol Performs at Sierra Nevada World Music Festival’s 20th Anniversary Concert Story and Photos By Shelah Moody

Sister Carol performs at 8:40 p.m., Friday June 21^st on the Village Stage at the 20^th Annual Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, June 21-23, Mendocino County Fairgrounds, Boonville, CA, www.snwmf.com.

Sister Carol East is a Grammy nominated DJ/singer, songwriter, who grew up in Kingston, Jamaica and Brooklyn, NY. She has performed at festivals and top venues around the world; her albums include “Mother Culture,” “Call Me Sister Carol,” “Empressive” and “Lyrically Potent.” Representing woman dreads on the big screen, Sister Carol appeared in Jonathan Demme's films, "Something Wild," “Married to the Mob,” (where she played the proprietor of a hair salon) and "Rachel Getting Married." Sister Carol recently launched her own clothing line, Black Cinderella; and she also nurturing the music career of her daughter Nakeeba Aminyea.

This weekend, Sister Carol helps kick off the festivities at the 20^th Annual Sierra Nevada Music Festival in Boonville, CA. Ironically, also performing at SNWMF is one of Sister Carol’s mentors, Errol Dunkley, whose hit song inspired her moniker, “Black Cinderella.”

This spring, I caught up with Sister Carol backstage at the Independent nightclub in San Francisco, after she opened for Mykal Rose. The focus of our conversation was hair; dreadlocks in particular in relation to Rastafarian philosophy and popular culture.

“Well, when it comes to hair, we love to celebrate it in its most natural state; it’s most natural beauty. As a Rastafarian, I and I follow the codes of the Bible, the Nazarite vow not to cut or shave any corners of your hair. That’s where the dreadlocks (concept) comes from. Ever since I was a youth, I always wanted to have dreadlocks, but I couldn’t have them in my parents’ house; they wouldn’t have it. Why not? Because they are like, Catholics and Methodists; and in my heart, mi a Rasta but mi haffe keep it quiet because mi can’t bring it inna the house. So as soon as I was old enough and on my own, mi just start grow mi locks. It gave me a sense of freedom. They are my antennas, picking up all the frequencies from the cosmos. I feel like they give me a sense of power, because the longer they get, the stronger the vibration gets. I just love my hair, because I don’t have to do anything to it. I just wash it; and I’m good. I don’t put oils or pomades on my locks themselves; I just grease my scalp, because the scalp is like the root, and once you water the root, it doesn’t matter how tall the tree is, the water will get to the top of the tree, just like the oil in your scalp will get to the very tip of your locks. Dreadlocks were around long before I got here. I’m just carrying it on. The revolution started in Kenya with the Mau Mau Warriors, and the rebellion came with their hair, with dreadlocks to show that they weren’t down with the system. I’m just carrying on the heritage of my ancestors. Some say that Samson, in the Bible, was a dreadlocks, yeah mon, all of the strong black men inna the Bible were men with some big dreadlocks—Solomon, King David all of them. You never see a bald head Jesus yet.”

Follow Sister Carol on her website: www.sistercarol.com.

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sistercarol.east?fref=ts

Lenny I-Music Biography

     Courtney Grant aka "Lenny I" was born in Port Antonio the capital of the parish of Portland, & home of the Reggae Legend Mikey Dread, on the northeastern coast of Jamaica, about 60 miles (100 km) from Kingston. The Town young Lenny I spent his young formative years is the island's third largest port, famous as a shipping point for bananas and coconuts, as well as vibrant tourism  being a major contributor to the town’s economy. Here in this region bustling with commercial distractions the brilliant singer gives the world an inspiring Roots Reggae Album entitled "Urban Inner Quest!" 

      Lenny I has chosen Music as a cultural vehicle for communicating the love and intelligence of the noncommercial hardworking citizens of Jamaica. Jamaica is were he was exposed night and day to roots reggae music at an early age. This is the peoples music because it soothes the soul of the poor and needy and gives hope in spite of crisis. 

     Lenny I, moved to Portmore a coastal city in southern Jamaica in Saint Catherine, with easy access for major Reggae music vibrations going on in neighboring cities of Kingston and Spanish Town. Here in Portmore the Artist was fortunate to link with producer Debo Brown, and this positive break gave Lenny I crucial exposure for the "Professional" side of music production. Although the town he now occupied used to be a sewage dump this great singer found his way out of the negative thru "positive uplifting lyrics" for all his loyal fans. 

     A chance for his first mastered hit entitled "Knowledge," came when he was introduced to the "Flames Crew." This landed him on a compilation album with various quality artists, on a significant reggae album called "Essence." 

     Now well known for his beautiful singing, strong revolution, and engaging love songs he has had the privilege of working with Producers Sojie, Youngblood, Simba Music Empire, Dean Fraser and Axx Production. His blessings have only increased. Since the people love his music he gave them more, incuding; instant classics like "How About This Love" and  "Revenge and a Song"  featuring the Mega Reggae Star President Brown with one called "Mister dj." . Again Axx Production shot a video for the song "How About This Love." 

     Martin Luther King Jr. said, "when your good at something the world will beat a path to your door!" And now with the rise of the album "Revenge" the world is calling for more Lenny I. After an impressive performance at "Weekenz" a journalist gave an excellent review in the hot publication "CHAT" that declared "Lenny I is on the next level" with excellent, profound, quality militant and loving yet, very versatile, Roots Reggae Music. Then more work done with Axx Production including singles such as Exodus, The New wave, Ion lion Sound, Play Reggae, I n I Will, Dreams and Last Laugh firmly establish Lenny I as a powerful force in the reggae music industry! Not surprising other producers came running. So it is "One Link Production" made possible the unforgettable album "Urban Inna Quest." 

     Lenny I vision for future inspirational and uplifting reggae albums is about being in the culture of wholesome Music and multiplying the positive vibrations that come from good reasoning. After all he says, "being negative without positive vibes ends in sufferation and destruction of life." Thru meager beginnings in a little Jamaican coastal town named Port Antonio, a true Reggae star is born named Lenny I. Continue to expect more awesome music recording and stage shows from this amazing Reggae Artist; singing in the name of truth and love!!!  

Listen to Lenny I on Streetwise Radio, Live365, athena365, MyGen365, iTunes, Pandora, Gilroy Radio.

[for booking and album purchase information link Lenny I atwww.facebook.com/lennyimusic or email 

lennyhye@yahoo.com]