Guyana-Born Singer Among 2023 Inductees For London’s Music Walk Of Fame

By NAN ET Editor

News Americas, LONDON, England, Fri. Aug. 11, 2023: Guyana-born singer Eddy Grant is among this year’s inductees for London’s Music Walk of Fame.

London’s renowned Music Walk of Fame is gearing up to honor 11 more music luminaries, including the distinguished Guyanese-British singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who now lives in Barbados. The celebration is scheduled to take place from September 4 to 9th along the iconic Camden trail.

Among the diverse lineup of honorees, Eddy Grant’s name stands out as a testament to his influential contributions to the music industry. The walk, which pays homage to music legends, will also feature tributes to legendary figures such as the late American rocker, Janis Joplin, the English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, the Kinks, Janis Joplin, Harvey Goldsmith, CBE, UB40, Gordon Mac, Paul ‘Trouble’ Anderson, The Sugarhill Gang, Buzzcocks, Billy Bragg and Shalamar.

Guyana born Musical giant Eddy Grant performs with The Roots on July 31, 2019 on The Tonight Show. (Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)

Expressing his enthusiasm, Eddy Grant shared, “It will be great to be back in Camden, where I grew up. To be honored with a stone plaque that will be laid in the street where I walked, rode, and drove from childhood to manhood.”

He also remarked on the significance of the honor, noting, “It is especially satisfying to be receiving this honor in 2023, the year of my 75th birthday and the 40th anniversary of my ground-breaking album ‘Killer on the Rampage.’ My grandmother, who gave me all my sensibilities after coming out of the womb, always told me that when someone gives you something and it’s something good, the most important thing to say is thank you.”

Lee Bennett, the Founder of The Music Walk of Fame, expressed excitement about the project’s growth and evolution. He stated: “I’m very excited that once again we’ll be progressing the project to a new level of integration and fan engagement by incorporating what will become an annual borough-wide festival utilizing all the venues and open spaces that the London borough of Camden has to offer.”

The Music Walk of Fame stands as a testament to the indelible mark that Eddy Grant and the other honorees have left on the music landscape. This recognition not only celebrates their accomplishments but also serves as an inspiration for future generations of artists and musicians.

The Music Walk of Fame honors artists, creators, executives, media, technology and celebrates world-changing moments in music, from global legends and influential contemporary artists to the unsung heroes, technological breakthroughs and industry figures whose ingenuity and passion have changed the face of popular culture today.

ABOUT GRANT

Edmond Montague Grant was born in Plaisance, Guyana. From 1982 onward, Grant was based in Barbados (where he opened his Blue Wave Studios). The same year releasing his most successful album, Killer on the Rampage, which included his two biggest solo hits, “I Don’t Wanna Dance”, which spent three weeks at number one in the UK as well as selling well internationally, and “Electric Avenue”, which reached no. 2 in both the UK and the US.[15][17][25] He also began producing and promoting local artists such as David Rudder, Mighty Gabby, Tamu Hibbert, and Grynner.

A lean period followed; his 1984 title song for the movie Romancing the Stone was cut from the film and stalled outside the UK top 50 when released as a single, although it fared better in the US and Canada. His albums Going for Broke (1984), Born Tuff (1987), and File Under Rock (1988) failed to chart and produced no further hit singles.[15] Grant participated in Prince Edward’s charity television special The Grand Knockout Tournament (1987).

Grant returned to the charts in 1988 with the anti-apartheid single “Gimme Hope Jo’anna”, a no. 7 hit in the UK.The song was banned by the South African government. In the late 1980s he pursued other business interests including music publishing and a nightclub, and built up the success of his Blue Wave studio, which was used by the Rolling Stones, Sting, Cliff Richard, and Elvis Costello.

Grant continued releasing albums in the 1990s, including Barefoot Soldier (1990), Paintings of the Soul (1992), Soca Baptism (1993), and Hearts and Diamonds (1999). In 1994 he introduced a new genre, ringbang, at the Barbados Crop Over festival. Grant said of ringbang: “What ringbang seeks to do is envelop all the rhythms that have originated from Africa so that they become one, defying all geographical boundaries.”In 2000 he organised the Ringbang Celebration festival in Tobago. In 2001, a remix of “Electric Avenue” reached no. 5 in the UK and an attendant Greatest Hits album reached no. 3 in that country.

In 2004, Grant created a song for the yogurt based drink Yop, to the tune of “Gimme Hope Jo’anna”.

In 2006, Grant released the album Reparation. In 2008, he performed at Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday concert, and also played several dates in the UK, including the Glastonbury Festival.

In 2016, it was announced that Grant would receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the government of Guyana.He was previously honoured with a postage stamp featuring his likeness and Ringbang logo by the Guyana Post Office Corporation in 2005.

In 2021, Grant sued the former U.S. president Donald Trump and his administration, over the use of his hit “Electric Avenue” in a 2020 advertisement. As of 2023, Grant has refused to allow his music on streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify, out of protest for how the platforms pay artists.

EDDY GRANT PERFORMS ELECTRIC AVENUE