Sledge

From the Tastee Talent Trail to performing on various stages in the United States, Sledge is aiming for the skies with his career.

Now in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, Sledge is a long way from the streets of Rae Town, where he was born, and Grants Pen, where he grew up, both in the Corporate Area.

Born Courtney Whyte, the reggae singer is happy to be a part of developing the growing reggae scene in Connecticut. "We have a lot of listeners here in Connecticut. There are quite a lot of stations that play reggae and places to perform," he told The Sunday Gleaner in a phone interview from his home.

Started singing in church

While he might be opening for acts such as Third World, Beres Hammond, Beenie Man and Tarrus Riley now, Sledge grew up singing in church and school here in Jamaica. He said, "I started young, from about five years old, I can remember clearly. I grew up in the church, Sunday school, Bible classes. I was a talented child who used to sing on tables at school ... For me, music is what I like, it gives me the opportunity to express myself and show love to the people."

Sledge's first big stage appearance was on the Tastee Talent Trail. He entered the contest in 1992, but lost his nerve and ran off-stage. However, "Afta dat I was the lead of the group Power Play. We opened for a lot of the Tastee Talent Trail shows, which always had a large crowd."

Songwriter

After leaving Power Play, Sledge headed a number of groups, such as Cosmic Crew, and emceed a number of events before going solo. Sledge has also blossomed into a songwriter and is currently being sought by various record labels in the United States. He is making inroads into the music industry since the release of songs such as Should I, Fancy Girl and Find Out Who Your Friends Are.

Having his songs played in the households across the world is one of Sledge's most gratifying experiences. He recently released his debut album, After the Storm. "The album is out in the US. We're working on getting it released in Jamaica, but it's doing well here. I've gotten lots of good reviews, it's playing in England and getting a lot of hits on iTunes. It's being talked about ... My music is for the healing of people all over the world. I want to use it to unite everyone and to help make the world a better place," Sledge said.

Sledge hopes to visit Jamaica soon to spread his sound locally.