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December 13, 2007
Bugle has persevered
By: Joseph Cunningham
What Reggae and dancehall music means to many impoverished youngsters in Jamaica is nothing short of phenomenal. Almost all the genres biggest stars were born in bitter poverty, but, luckily for some they
attained wealth through the power of the music.
Roy Thompson, better known as Bugle, the rising singing sensation, has trod a road to success which would have frustrated most persons. He was born in the "not very commercial" parish of Portland, and headed to Cooreville Gardens in Kingston. He admits that he had always been excited by the idea of being a successful musician, and so, he had been searching for his "moment in the sun" for a long time.
"I have been in the music biz for a longtime, but I never got the right opportunity before now," Bugle told YardFlex.
In 2000 things looked up for Bugle when he met Elephant Man and got the opportunity to travel on many tours with him, and would perform as the energetic DJ's opening act.
Nevertheless, Bugle had more aspirations than to be
just an opening act – he wanted to be a star in his own right.
"The experience I got from working with Elephant Man was good, but I wanted my own career," he said. "So when I returned to Jamaica from one of those tours, I vowed that the next time I go on a tour it would be because I am in demand, and not just to accompany someone else," Bugle noted.
This decision proved to be a major challenge for the ambitious singer, and, as he revealed to YardFlex, "I basically went from riches to rags. The fact that I had stopped touring with Ele meant that I was not earning money as I used to. It even got to a stage when I could not even pay my bills, however I held the faith because I wanted my own glory."
In 2005 he bean working under the SSMG banner (Sean Scott Music Group), however, Bugle said his career was not given adequate attention, so he continued searching for the right opportunity, until he developed a friendship with Daseca, the production house responsible for the ever popular "Anger Management Rhythm".
Within weeks after becoming a Deseca artiste, Bugle got his first hit, "What I'm Gonna Do". "Journey" and "Doh" are other hits which have followed in quick succession.
"I'm all about music. I listen to all genres for inspiration," Bugle explained. He attributes his passion for music to mentors like Bob Marley, Anita Baker, Lauryn Hill, the Notorious BIG, and Bounty Killer.
Bugle is now the star he once only dreamt of being, and he will be among the highly anticipated performances at Sting, on December 26. He said, "My fans can expect nothing less than a performance delivered with a strong passion to please them." Further, he added said, "I will be very busy, making appearances on most local shows and fulfilling overseas invitations for the new year."