Singing sensation Nana EQ – Part 4

Nana EQ meets Gregory Isaacs.

“I met Gregory at a stage show at Beach Resort, Negril. A lot of people were hearing about how well I could perform. And, obviously, Gregory was one of them.”

“I had earlier met the owner of the club who was called ‘Chucks’. He was at The Three House club where I, Peter Tosh, and others had performed. He (Chucks) had asked about my manager and I told him about my teacher. I remember him coming over and talking to her about the Beach Resort show.”

“I showed up at the show, decked in a nice yellow dress, yellow head wrap, and yellow shoes. I was looking like a sunflower, compliments to an aunt in Canada who was known for sending me some colourful outfits.”

“Gregory Isaacs was not billed for the show. He was passing, heard the advertisement, and like many others, came to see what was happening.”

“I was on stage working at the time, singing ‘Truly’, a cover version by Marcia Griffiths. Fans were cheering me and Gregory Isaacs came on stage, lift me up, hold me to the crowd, saying ‘clap her cause she bad’, and the people cheered me even more.”

“Gregory Isaacs then put me down, stood at the side of the stage and continued to watch the show.”

“As for me, I was a bit confused as to why the people were making so much noise, and I just stopped and, like any big artiste said ‘haul and pull up’.”

“That night Gregory took the mike and started to sing and the rest of artistes were vexed ’cause as soon as Gregory was leaving, the crowd was leaving too.”

“Gregory decided to bring me home to my mother. At about 10 o’clock he directed me to his BMW motorcar and I sat in the backseat. When I reached home, a lot of people were at the standpipe gathering water for the next morning.”

“Gregory parked at my gate and came out of the car. The street light was directly in front of my house. There was a flood of echoes coming, ‘Gregory Isaacs’. And, everybody dashed down them bucket calling out, ‘Gregory! Gregory!’.

“My mother came out and Gregory started to talk about me, being concerned about my safety.”

“Gregory pushed his hand in his pocket and lay some money on the table for me. On reaching the road he began to share out money to the people.”

“They were begging Gregory to sing something for them. And, when he began with, ‘Meet me at the corner,’ everybody woke up and crowded the place. But, at that time Gregory’s BMW was gone round the corner already”.

“The next day, when I reached home, scores of people crowded my yard. I answered questions like I had just won the Grammy. The entire school was buzzing”.

(Photos courtesy of Nana E.Q.)