INTERVIEW WITH ED ROBINSON WITH U SMILE MAGAZINE 7/19/10

Interview With International Reggae Singer Ed Robinson

19 JULY 2010 VIEW COMMENTS

Ed Robinson is a Jamaican born international reggae superstar who has been entertaining us with his silky voice for many years with hits like Knockin On Heaven’s Door.  Ed recently received a VIP-Recognition Award from Vibes Radio in Detroit, MI and the Music Ambassador of The Year-Linkage Award for his contribution to the reggae music industry.

Ed’s passion for music goes way beyond entertaining, he is dedicated to inspiring and educating a new generation of reggae artists in all aspects of the music industry through the Reggae A.M.P.P.S. organization, The Coalition To Preserve Reggae and as owner of E2Recordings, Inc., E2 Studios, E2Onair Radio and Le 2  Music Publishing.

When Ed is not on stage performing or in the studio producing great hits, he is involved in various charities like the Universal Music Benefit for Orphans, which is a global initiative.

USmile Magazine caught up with this busy artist and mogul to talk about his passion for music and his new CD.

USM: You started out as a drummer, why did you change your career to singing?

ER:  The drums are my first love.  I started playing the drums as a bet with my older brother and grew to love them very much.  I played the drums for many different reggae groups and artists like Bob Andy.  I believe there was a part of me that always wanted to sing so when my career as a drummer ended, I decided to launch my singing career.

USM:  Who inspires you as a singer?

ER:  I am inspired by folks like Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and Jacob Miller.  They have had the most influence on me as a singer.  Dennis Brown has been my idol for as long as I can remember.  Dennis helped me launch my singing career by asking me to sing with him on one of his projects.  He also thought me a great deal about the music business.

USM: Tell me about your new CD; what inspired the CD?

ER:  My new CD is called “The Awakening” and it is based on my personal life experiences.  Currently, I am in a really happy place in my personal and professional life, and I wanted to share that with my fans.   The CD is truly a celebration of my life.

USM:  Tell us about some of the songs on the CD?

ER:  The first single on the CD is called Rude Awakening.  It is a song about history repeating it’s self.  Many young men and women dismiss us when we try to caution them about the danger of the streets.  They don’t feel that their lifestyle will catch up with them until it’s too late.

USM:  You have collaborated with some of the biggest artist in the music industry, will you be collaborating with anyone on this CD?

ER:  No.  I haven’t collaborated with anyone on this CD.  I wanted to produce a CD that reflects my heart and soul.  This way I can connect with my fans on a personal and spiritual level.

USM:  When do you plan to release your CD?

ER:  I have already pre-released a few of the singles and I plan to release the full CD this summer.

USM: You are better known in the U.S. and Caribbean than in Europe for your music, do you plan to make yourself more established in Europe?

ER:  I made a decision many years ago to stay away from music videos because I wanted people to respect me for my talent and not my videos.  I believe that decision affected my popularity in Europe.  I probably would have gotten more promotions in Europe if I had released a couple of videos.  I am hoping to change that in the future.

USM:  Why do people consider you one of the great contributors to reggae music?

ER:    I don’t really have an answer to that question.  I think it’s because I have worked with artists from different genres such as, Snoop Dogg. I am very humbled by such an honor.

USM:  Tell us about your involvement in reggae A.M.P.P.S.?

ER:  I am the president of reggae A.M.P.P.S and my goal is to make sure that reggae artists are represented well in the industry and educated on how the music industry works from a business standpoint.

USM:  Tell us about some of the artist that you are currently working with?

ER:  I am working with about twenty to thirty different new artists.    I enjoy helping new artist develop their craft because they are open to different ideas.  Many of the experienced artists try to duplicate the sound that made them successful but I am always trying to come up with new sounds to keep the artist fresh and interesting.

USM:  What do you think about the U.S. Embassy in Kingston stripping dancehall stars such as Beanie Man and other of their visas this past April?

ER:  I think their music may have offended some people but as an artist I believe it is important to express yourselves freely.

USM:  Do you plan on going on tour this summer?

ER:  Definitely, I plan to go on tour this summer to promote my new CD.  I am currently working on putting my show together for the tour.

USM:  How can your fans learn more about your tour?

ER:  Everyone can go to my facebook pageand my  myspace page to learn more about my tour dates.

USM:  What is your take on the direction of reggae music today?

ER:  The music today is a bit different from the core reggae sound that I grew up with.  I actually prefer the core reggae sound of singers like Jacob Miller and Bob Marley.   My goal is to continue to produce the core reggae sounds of Jamaica.

USM:  What else do you want to accomplish in your career?

ER:  I would love to own a Caribbean-TV station that focuses on Caribbean Music and Lifestyle.

By: USmile Magazine
http://www.usmilenow.com/2010/07/interview-with-international-reggae-singer-ed-robinson/#more-1571