Archived: The Soca Monk Makes More Memories, This Time With Tarrus

Soca megastar, Machel Montano continues to showcase to the world, his ability to fuse sounds and merge cultures. His latest musical project includes one of reggae’s golden boys, Tarrus Riley, an artiste, who in the past few years has truly impressed Caribbean audiences.

Montano and Riley have unleashed a single called, “Memory”. The song, some say, tugs at the heartstring, something Riley certainly has a knack for doing. Many would agree that ‘Memory’ is a markedly different product from the reigning Power Soca Monarch and Road March champ’s usual releases. Accompanying the YouTube video is a message that says, “This song is a lyrical reminder to cherish the time we have with the individuals we care about most, because the only time that matters is the present.”

Montano, in the past year, has shown a different side of himself to online audiences. Posting daily inspirational messages on Instagram, the Taipan of Soca as he was once coined, seems to have leaned more toward the spiritual, calling on his maker, daily, to show him his true path. Many now wait with bated breath to see and comprehend where his journey leads. His annual concert, carded for February 1st at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Trinidad, will likely deliver to die hard fans, revelations of Montano’s journey into the spiritual realm, which he seems satisfied to have entered.

This week, news came that Montano would be honored at the Annual Legacy Awards Gala of the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies. The entertainer, who has dedicated over 30 years of his life to soca music, will be awarded with the “Robert “Bob” Nesta Marley Award on February 24th.

The American Foundation for the University of the West Indies (AFUWI) was established in 1956 to develop an endowment fund in the United States for The University of the West Indies (The UWI). The original patrons of the Foundation included such distinguished individuals as Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The Legacy Awards Gala is a signature event that has been occurring for nineteen years.  Proceeds provide an average of fifty scholarships annually for students across The University of the West Indies’ four campuses. UWI in a statement said, “The awards honour notable individuals from the US and Caribbean, all of whom represent high levels of achievement within their respective fields. Montano will receive The ‘Robert “Bob” Nesta Marley Award’, given to an individual/group for their contribution to society and to the advancement of arts and culture, transcending race, colour, creed and geographies; to unite people worldwide in a spirit that embodies the essence of the music and lyrics of Bob Marley.”

EBUZZTT CONTRIBUTOR: Reiana Bharath