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Sanchez is one of the all time favorite singer/performer who transforms his audience into a mass choir at his live performances. He epitomizes elegance and style and is always splendidly attired in a formal suit, enhanced with gold chains and bracelets, giving fans the ultimate in appearance and presentation. His selection of songs range from soulful R&B to hardcore Dancehall, Reggae, balanced with religiously calming cuts that enhance the spiritual vibes of his act.

Born on November 30, 1964 in Kingston, Jamaica and christened Kevin Anthony Jackson, Sanchez grew up with his Mother, Father, two brothers and two sisters, in the Stony Hill and Waterford Communities under strong Christianprinciples. He says, “I had to go to church every Sunday and often during the week as well. I was a member of the Rehoboth Apostolic Church junior choir and later the senior choir where I was the lead singer. I just love singing and going to church. However, when I started to attend St. Andrew Technical High School, I started hanging out with a new set of friends, things began to change and we would go to parties where sound systems like Rambo, Small Axe and Crystal would play. I really began to like the music and went through a period of conflict which later resulted in me drifting from the church.”

The former choir leader became a selector for the Rambo Sound system; a system on which many of his close DJ colleagues such as Flourgon, Daddy Lizard and Red Dragon also worked out. (By this time, he had been renamed Sanchez by his friends. and soccer team mates because of a highly skilled pass he made that was reminiscent of the great Brazilian soccer star Hugo Sanchez). As he gradually moved on to singing at these parties/sessions, the response he received was encouraging.

Sanchez soon began voicing for some of the top record producers in the business: Red Man, Winston Riley and Fattis Burrell. In 1987, Sanchez’s first single Lady In Red was released; soaring to the # 19 slot on JBC Radio record chart and that was very encouraging for young Sanchez. “It was a great feeling to hear my song playing on the radio.”

His first hit, the Winston Riley produced, Loneliness, recorded in 1988, is still one of his biggest hits. In that same year, he was voted Singer of the Year, Best Up and Coming and Best New Artist by Rockers and Bins awards respectively. Loneliness was also voted Song of the Year, and this led him to his first appearance at Reggae Sunsplash.

Over his long career, Sanchez has come a long way from his first performance at a school concert at Waterford Secondary backed by the Sagittarius band. It was then that bandleader, bassist/vocalist, Derrick Barnett told Sanchez that he had a good voice and invited him to come by where they used to rehearse.To date, he has released 28 albums and over 70 singles and has toured extensively throughout Europe, the USA, the Caribbean and Japan.

mawgak

President & CEO of KDW Concepts.net and Montrealdancehall.com.