In 2007 Andy Palacio’s Watina conquered Europe – topping the World music charts, and winning WOMEX and BBC radio awards. But Europe was only half of Palacio’s dream. He had his eyes set on North America for 2008. But Andy Palacio never got the opportunity because of his untimely death in January. But while Andy didn’t live to make it there – his music has carried on. Last month the Garifuna Collective – featuring Paul Nabor, Aurelio Martinez, and Lloyd – took Andy Palacio’s music to America. The tribute tour ran for 32 days – and this afternoon Lloyd told us what it was like performing in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington D.C. among other stops.
Keith Swift Reporting,
The Garifuna Collective has been performing in front of sell-out crowds, just like at this outdoor concert in Lafayette Louisiana, in cities and venues – and on stages across the United States. And on most of those stages there was Aurelio Martinez alongside Paul Nabor – backed up by the Umalali singers. But there was no Andy Palacio.
Lloyd is one of the headliners and for him - the tribute tour’s been bitter sweet.
Lloyd, Performer
“We are happy to do this and going from city to city, everybody is just looking forward to perform to teach the cities about the Garifuna culture; the dances, the music. So the mood is very very sad in a way because sometimes some of the guys would break out and cry because they miss Andy Palacio’s voice.
It is a very difficult job to sing an Andy Palacio song. Andy Palacio songs are not easy to sing. For me being an artist, I was only singing my own songs before and now I am singing Andy Palacio’s songs so it is very difficult.
Sometimes it makes me want to cry because I see everybody singing too and waving like that and it makes me feel real good and deep down inside sad at the same time because I know Andy Palacio was the person supposed to be singing this song.”
But now it’s Lloyd on stage singing most of Andy’s songs. Stonetree’s Ivan Duran says the music must play on.
Ivan Duran, Producer
“There is more music where Andy came from and that is so important because Andy had taken us to a level where no other Belizean artist had gotten and it is so easy for the world to forget. There is music from all over the world, there are thousands of CDs being released everyday and so it is important to keep Andy in the limelight, to keep Belize in the limelight and I think these guys are doing a fantastic job. I am so happy and so proud of them that they took on this tour without Andy. You can’t imagine how difficult it is to be on stage singing his songs and they’ve performed admirably. The review from the States are fantastic. They’ve been getting excellent press coverage.”
The Garifuna Collective leaves Belize this weekend for Mexico where they will perform at two shows. They will return to Belize and rest until June when they will head out on the second leg of the tour. It will be in Europe and it will take the Garifuna Collective to Portugal, Austria, Spain, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Germany.
