Gramps Morgan performing in Charlotte N.C. GBurkeImages Photo Reggae’s fastest rising star Gramps Morgan has just achieved a rare enviable feat of moving over 12,000 units of his blazing hot debut album “2 Sides of My Heart Vol. 1” on the Dada Son Entertainment label in the first week of release. Morgan is a key member of the widely acclaimed reggae group Morgan Heritage and this album represents his first solo project. The album showcases sixteen sizzling roots reggae and lovers rock tracks that are mostly self-produced but supported with collaborations from Buju Banton, Kurt Riley and Kemar “Flava” McGregor. The album is currently the #5 disc on the Weekly Star Album Chart in the USA, while the lead single “Wash the Tears Away” has already earned Gramps the #1 spot on the Canadian Reggae and Dancehall Charts (Radio Dubplate) for three consecutive weeks on CHRY 105.5 FM. The single is also in rotation on stations in New York, Atlanta and South Florida, and the video clip from the first single also debuted at # 2 on Riddim, Jamaica’s weekly Top 12 video chart. Gramps is now on tour with R&B hit makers John Legend and India Arie and those major market tour opportunities have obviously helped to take Gramps and his music to new arenas, thereby driving album sales. His music is also clearly being embraced nationally as in January, TV viewers in the USA had the opportunity to watch him perform live alongside Arie on Good Morning America TV and VH1 Soul. “Being on tour with John and India has been a rewarding experience for me, performing for fans of different nationalities and different cultures. It has also given me a chance to realize just how powerful our music from the Caribbean is and just how much influence our culture has on the world,” Gramps commented. He is no stranger to touring as he has performed for sold out audiences of millions around the world with Morgan Heritage. In fact, he kicks off a fresh 35 city US tour with Buju Banton on September 12, a few days after his solo debut at Irie Jamboree 2009, slated for York College Outdoor Complex in Queens. The fall tour will cover all market regions and will include key cities of New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Salt Lake City and Atlanta. “My mission is to heal people through music”, Gramps opined. “I want to keep the pipeline of new music flowing, and I want my fans to know that everything will be alright. I want to reason with my fans and get personal with them with their problems. My music is about healing”, he continued. Gramps Morgan is also the CEO of Dada Son Entertainment, a full-fledged entertainment company with multi-media ventures that include film and Internet projects as well as a solid roster of artists.
