Burning Spear on Tour
Roots/reggae sensation Burning Spear (real name Winston Rodney OD) is one the most respected artists in the history of Jamaica. A Rastafarian, Burning Spear is one of the most influential roots artists to come out of the 1970s. Throughout nearly four decades, more than 25 albums and countless live performances, Burning Spear has carried the torch of political activist Marcus Garvey. Through lyrics and rhythms and live performances that spread messages of peace and love to all, Burning Spear promotes self-determination and self-reliance for African descendants. Before Burning Spear embarked on a string of shows in the U.S. in 2022 -- his first tour since 2010 -- he announced that he would not be going out on long tours anymore. In a 2021 interview with Reggaeville, the singer/songwriter/musician said, "I don't think I will be touring again. Like going on the road for months, weeks. ... I will use my discretion and think about doing maybe a little show here and there." Seeing Burning Spear live should be on the bucket list of any reggae fan.
Burning Spear Live in Concert
Winston Rodney OD (aka Burning Spear) was born in 1948 in St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica -- the same birthplace as the legendary Bob Marley, who set the singer/songwriter/musician off on his career in music. He met Marley while they were both living in St. Ann's and, as Burning Spear recalls in a bio on his website, "I say ... I would like to get involved in the music business. And Bob say, 'All right, just check Studio One." So, Rodney set off to Kingston for a meeting with Coxsone Dodd, the head of Studio One. It was there that Burning Spear released a series of singles, including the 1972 Jamaican smash hit "Joe Frazier (He Prayed)." Shortly after, Burning Spear released their first two classic albums: 1973's Studio One Presents Burning Spear and 1974's Rocking Time. After moving on to work with Jack Ruby, Burning Spear recorded "Marcus Garvey," which would become a successful hit song, followed by "Slavery Days." In 1975, Burning Spear released the Marcus Garvey album, one of the greatest albums to ever come out of Jamaica. Burning Spear subsequently released Man in the Hills (1976), Dry & Heavy (1977), Social Living (1978), and Hail H.I.M. (1980). These five albums remain a seminal canon of dread roots, carrying on the legacy of Burning Spear for decades to come.
