Jermaine Edwards honoured by the state of Florida

Gospel singer Jermaine Edwards was on a family vacation when he received a phone call that mirrored recurring dreams of impacting the world through his ministry and music. He was informed that the Marion County Board in Florida would be recognising him for his musical contributions. For Edwards, it was all too surreal.

Surrounded by his family, the honouree accepted the certificate at a recent ceremony in Ocala, singing lyrics from his 2013 song, Make You Smile.

“I kept asking myself, ‘Is this really happening?’ Sometimes you live ahead of your dreams that when these things happen, you just can’t believe it,” he told The Gleaner. “I don’t know if it’s lack of confidence, but I don’t see myself as a celebrity. Probably I haven’t come to grips with where the music has brought me, but I don’t think I’m good enough. I don’t think my vocals are good enough. I don’t think my writing is good enough. I don’t think my production is good enough,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Marion County Board, vice-chairman David Moore commended the Beautiful Day singer for being a good role model.

“Jermaine Edwards is hereby congratulated for attaining such musical success and serving as a positive influence for the younger generation and making a difference in the community where he resides and more,” Moore said.

Edwards is the latest Jamaican artiste to be recognised internationally. Ding Dong and D’Angel were highlighted this summer by the states of New York and Georgia, respectively. Edwards said that Jamaicans should not underestimate the impact of the country’s performers and culture on the world.

He said: “We have a unique culture, which we sometimes take for granted,” he said. “I am in Guam right now, and I hear more reggae music than any other music, and I am like, ‘wow’. I don’t think we love our music like these people. In travelling to different places here, and when you say you do reggae and gospel, they instantly want to know where they can get your music.”

While in Guam, Edwards is making the rounds as part of a nationwide campaign for suicide prevention.

“There is a high suicide rate in this area, even the little kids are cutting themselves. We are going into the high schools and prisons, telling them there is more to life than what they see and that God loves them,” he said.

Edwards is currently on a tour of Asia and the United States, in support of his sixth studio album, I Will Follow, released in July. He described this tour as dreamlike and said that he is learning to appreciate these moments as he experiences them.

“So far, I’ve shared the stage with Planetshakers and Potter’s House worship team. I’ve seen bass guitarists I’ve always looked up to, and we take pictures and all of that. It’s like you work so hard for these things to happen, and you can’t enjoy it because you’re a dreamer, so you were there before you got there. I am practising enjoying the moment, looking for the opportunities in the moment, and seeing how I can impact the people in the moment,” he said.