The Jamaica Observer continues its 20-part series, 20 Days of Silk, which looks at the life of roots singer Garnet Silk.

This month marks 20 years since his death.

ISAIAH Laing — former crimefighter-cum-promoter — sees Sting as the pulse of Jamaica’s popular music. Therefore in 1994, it was a given that roots-reggae singer Garnet Silk would be among the headliners.

“Garnet portrayed an image that everybody, old people and young people, could emulate. He was one of them that you knew would become big in the business,” Laing told Jamaica Observer yesterday.

Silk was slotted for a roots segment of the show dubbed Togetherness. That section also comprised reggae acts Uton Green, Tony Rebel and recent Rastafarian converts Luciano and Capleton.

“The year before, ’93, we had Bounty Killer-Beenie Man clash, which brought out 26,000 people. So, we were moving in a different direction… the conscious route… and taking a little off the edge,” he continued.

Known for its hardcore clashes among dancehall acts, Sting is held on Boxing Day each year since 1984.

Silk (given name Garnet Smith) was part of the roots revival that swept Jamaica during the 1990s.

That movement also comprised poet Yasus Afari, deejay Tony Rebel, singers Everton Blender, Uton Green, and deejay Kulcha Knox.

According to the promoter, it wasn’t Silk’s first time on the one-night show.

“It was Garnet’s second time. He had appeared in 1992. He came up and sang four songs, including Hello Mama Africa, then left,” he said.

But this time it would be different. The reggae singer was slated to perform a full set.

“Garnet was on the posters, on the billboards and in the TV adverts,” he said.

Laing said the reggae singer was poised for great things and a far cry from the lanky, aspiring artiste he met in 1988 while stationed at the Admiral Town Police Station in St Andrew.

“He left from Manchester and came to the police station to ask me if I could record him. He called himself Bimbo. He sang a couple of songs for me under a tree at the front of the building,” Laing recalled.

According to the promoter, the opportunity would come four years later when a deeply spiritual Silk returned.

“He recorded Hard Nut to Crack for me on the Supreme label about 1992 or 1993,” he said.

Laing said Silk was “easy to work with”.

“He never made unrealistic demands. He never came and asked for a million dollars. You could sit and talk with him,” he said.

Silk never made it to the Sting stage in 1994. He and his mother, Etiga Gray, perished in a fire at her home in Manchester on December 9, 1994. He was 28 years old.

“I was in Miami when I heard the news. He had recorded a single for me days before. I have not yet released it, and not sure when I will. It’s touching. Ironically, part of lyrics goes: ‘If you don’t love Selassie, fire a go burn you and your family’,” said Laing.

According to Laing, Sting 1994 pulled in 21,000 patrons.

“All the entertainers on the show did some sort of tribute to him,” he said. The promoter said Silk’s legacy is still alive.

“His music will live on. There was something special about him,” he added.