Sokah2Soca

This is a reprint from a 'parked blog'. It is a dated post but carries the same sentiments expressed then even more so today... No editing was done and it is presented in the same format as the previous posting!

Who is Damion Melville? This energetic ‘young man’ rules the airways of Southern Trinidad and soon will become a household name in Trinbago. This fame will be much like that experienced by the likes of Rennie Bishop, Jim Sutherland and a host of other radio personalities. However, Mr. Melville will do it in a very unique manner by ensuring that the culture, the music, the heartbeat of the people of Trinidad and Tobago becomes the real Crème de la Crème of the national broadcast scheme.

A Scouting for talent finalist and third place finish was just the start for the man who portrayed the plight of the Pan Man. Damion was interviewed as an employee of WACK radio by the Trinidad Guardian Newspaper but before the station went on air. In that interview he was quoted as saying, “I always tell people I have a ‘jumbie gift’ and if my spirit guides me accordingly, so I shall go. I was born to do this.” Well that very gift that he spoke about has catapulted him to fame as a comedian and entertainer without a doubt.

If you have had the opportunity to listen to Damion on WACK radio 90.1 FM it will be readily observed that he dances to his own music. He is a man of integrity and always puts children first. In the very same Guardian interview Damion stated, “When I am in front of my daughter, how could I be cursing in front of her? I am funny and creative without it. She is my inspiration so profanity has no place in my material.” How does this play out at the radio station? Well very simply put Damion chooses not to play anything that sends the wrong message. We need more people like Mr. Melville to send the message out to these artistes that they need to do the right thing otherwise their music won’t be heard on the radio.

He has this unique ability to always hit the right notes with his audience whether he is doing a comedic piece or is called upon to host a show; he always does and says the right thing. Just last year while NYC attending the International Soca Awards he was called upon to make a presentation, a presentation which resulted in Damion hosting the show for the rest of the night.

Damion has created a following called the Shout Box. Now some may say that the Shout Box is a creation of WACK radio and the genius of Mr. Kenny Phillips however, no matter how beautiful the body of the car is it is of no use without a good engine. Damion Melville is the engine that oozes all the torque out of the Shout Box – the people in the box are crazy for Damion. FB in Florida gets antsy if the show starts late or she does not hear Damion’s voice on schedule. Just as Damion has conquered the Caribbean entertainment circuit his influence is even stronger with the International community. The Shout Box is a representation of the Trinbagonian diaspora that has reached out beyond the borders of Trinidad and Tobago. The United States, Ugoslavia, England, Canada, Turkey, Japan, Australia, Switzerland, Denmark and neighboring Venezuela to name a few are regular listeners that call in to Damion’s show.

I haven’t even scratched the surface and will take this opportunity to invite those who love Damion to post a comment to continue this post. Trinidadians are very proud of their culture and boastful to a great extent. However, when the police stopped the steel band from playing on Carnival day to facilitate a truck with DJ’s pumping music that infuriated Damion and it spilled over to the radio air waves and streaming audio. That is the way the man feels about his culture. As an entertainer he is the current champion and repeat winner of the WACKY Tuesday competition that was put on for a second year by the radio station. The show seems to be heading for a show down with one of the local calypso tents in the not too distant future – yes the talent pool is expanding with Damion as the reigning champion; Damion has already warned the competition to ‘look out for him next year’ – a feisty competitor indeed.

More than Trini2DBone Damion Melville goes deeper that that because he is my kind of individual, someone to call a friend, someone to emulate, a true gentleman and Trini2DMarrow – as Damion would put it, “Just Right”.

Here is the link to the original Guardian interview by BY S J Yearwood:
Funnyman with a ‘jumbie gift’ (looks like the Guardian Newspaper link is broken)