A schoolboy at the time of reggae’s roots revolution during the 1970s, Peter G grew up on songs that are arguably the most creative in Jamaican music. In August, at Rototom Sunsplash, he performed some of those classics, backed by the musicians who made them.

Backed by The Revolutionaries (house band at Channel One studio), Peter G did justice to standards including I Need a Roof (by The Mighty Diamonds), In Time to Come (an Earth & Stone original), and I Know Myself by Ernest Wilson.

The well-received set was definitely a career high point.

“Rototom was amazing, to be on the same stage performing with so many legendary musicians it was like I’m in musical heaven. Sly Dunbar, Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith, Lloyd Parks, Franklyn ‘Bubbler’ Waul, Dean Fraser, Stephen ‘Lenkey’ Marsden and young, talented, horn musician Okiel McIntyre, it was magical,” he said.

The Kingston-born artiste toured and recorded with Sly and Robbie’s Taxi Gang for several years. Dunbar (drums) and Parks (bass) were early members of The Revolutionaries while Smith, a guitarist, did many recording sessions at Channel One.

Rototom Sunsplash, held in Benicasim, Spain, was Peter G’s (real name Peter Gayle) first major gig since COVID-19 shut down the live music scene two years ago.

That did not, however, halt his recording output. Let me Please You (with Novel-T) and Grown Woman, a collaboration with his mentor Hopeton Lindo, have done well on the South Florida scene.

In 2020, Love Won’t Let us Wait, a song by Peter G and Novel-T, gave him his first number one in that region. Working with producers such as Sly and Robbie, Lindo, Mikey Bennett, Donovan Germain and Bobby Digital has made Peter G determined to make quality songs.

“It is very important to have my songs heard, especially with the lyrics and musicality being so positive and well-structured. I am truly overjoyed and appreciative to see so many radio stations and disc jockeys show love and support, as both songs are already on the charts in different places,” he said.

Peter G began his music career while he was a student of Holy Trinity Secondary (now High) School. Many of his recent songs have been for Lindo’s Irie Pen Records.