They're one of the last remaining big bands, and the legendary lions of the north, Gilharry 7 is celebrating 50 years of music and performances touring Belize and abroad. This morning we had 4 out of the 14 band members on Sunup to talk a bit about their journey and how NICH plans to commemorate their years of long standing service in Belize's Music industry.
Shane Gilharry, Gilharry 7 Manager
"It started with my father Lionel Gilharry. He had a vision in 1973 and he was heavily inspired by the Jackson 5. At those times we use to watch the Jackson 5 on Tv. And in 1972 Byron Lee came to Corozal to perform with a complete band and a massive horn section orchestra so you had to instill that horn section from the beginning in order to have a complete band. He had 7 sons so he named the Band Gilharry 7 I'm the youngest so we have the oldest here on the set Evan."
Host
"So tell us what that journey has been like?"
Shane Gilharry, Gilharry 7 Manager
"The journey has been great. I mean you know as a family that's what keeps us together. We have arguments as a married couple but at the end of the day when we hit that stage the energy is there."
Erick Lopez, NICH Program Officer
"So tonight at the Lord Rhaburn Plaza a lot of you guys know that memorial park we have of course an initiative that NICH through its institute of creative arts along with the national celebrations commission and the honorable Francis Fonsecca we started the living legends concert series. Last year I don't know if you guys recall they had the Lord Rhaburn tribute you know with the unveiling of the Plaza so tonight it's only right like they say don't wait until his dead to tell the man he's good. We are doing a tribute to Gilharry 7 you know for their 50th anniversary. So we have a free concert from 7:30 tonight at the plaza. You know it's going to be a good show. We have Lord Rhaburn himself we have Supa G we have kukunu Bwai we have Missy B we have Stone Jam we have Dj Dala so we have a full lineup and we also have Mr Luis Alcoser and other guest artists passing through so it's a full lineup and I want to invite the public to come out tonight it's free we are going to have a lot to eat a lot to drink you know so come."
The concert begins at 7:30 behind Memorial Park in the Lord Rhaburn Plaza and admission is free. For those who can't make it out there, the event will be aired and streamed live on Channel 7.
