AFTER A BREAK from singing for more than a decade, it took losing a bet with his son’s band to get Ray Armstrong, the former co-lead vocalist of krosfyah, back into therecording studio.
For Crop Over 2013, Ray Danja, with a little help from the band Cover Drive in which his 19-year-old son T-Ray is the drummer, has released two songs – party tune I En Gine Dey and a Sweet Soca number Signs Of Love.
At the end of his two-and-a-half-year stint with krosfyah, Ray opted to put his music career on pause and become certifiedin fitness training.
“I love singing and I love being an entertainer, but I was a family man and whenI was on tour with the band, T-Ray would always call and say that he missed me.
“I am married. It was just very trying,” he told EASY magazine.
His career as a fitness trainer was thriving and began to blossom in Washington, United States, as he worked with trained professionals, but that did not last too long.
The father of three – T-Ray, 12-year-old Chase and two-year-old Steele – ended up being a stay-at-home dad for T-Ray’s sake while his wife Kerri, who is Cover Drive’s official manager, used her development skills and nurturing approach to management to get the band off its feet.
“I gave up my personal training business so that I [could] help him with his career and propel him forward,” said the father who also doubles as the band’s road manager whenthey tour.
So, after such a long break from the local entertainment scene, what made Armstrong, who is in his 40s, decide to deliver two songs for Crop Over?
“When the band came back from a Kelly Clarkson tour last October, I told them that [they had] to get into different genres of music and listen to reggae, soca, jazz, salsa.
“I told them that if [they] could write a couple songs that were pretty good, I would get back on stage, just for the fun of it. I gave them that challenge,” he said, chuckling.
“Then around May this year they told me to come and hear these songs. I listened and I said, ‘Wow, these songs sound good; what are you guys doing this for?’
“Then they said, ‘You remember that bet we had last year that we would write you two songs; here you go, you need to sing them now.’
“It was a shock and surprising at the same time because I always wanted to get back out there singing, but I didn’t expect it so soon.I was very excited,” Armstrong said.
As for how ready he is to perform his songs – which are already receiving airplay and a satisfying response from the public – at various events this season, including the annual Soca On The Hill – Ray quickly said: “Ready, ready, 100 per cent ready because being a musician doesn’t leave you.
“My family is important to me and will always be. But deep inside I always wanted to get back on stage. When I am on stage I feel like I am floating; it is a great feeling.
“I was even thinking that when I set my kids on a path where they can handle themselves and I don’t have to spend so much time with them, I would go and find a few old boys like myself and put a band together and have some fun with it. But being back on stage came earlier as the band wrote the songs.”
He added: “I am singing for fun this year. I wanted to judge in the Sweet Soca competition but I was late with the registration process. So I am just going to sing for the fans and to make my kids proud because they did a fabulous job writing the songs.
“I always teach my kids excellence, so while I am having fun with them, I will be very serious as a performer. I am going out there and make the fans love the songs.”
Is his reappearance this Crop Overa one-time thing, or will he be producingmore songs in the future?
“I don’t know,” he answered. “I am focusing on enjoying the entire season.
“I would love to get through Crop Over and then do Labour Day [and the] carnival in Canada . . . . I would like to have a full season performing and if the bug hits me, I might just perform again,” said the former Richard Stoute Teen Talent contestant.
Cover Drive’s lead singer Amanda Reifer, who sat in on the interview with her bandmates, said the band was happy to produce the songs.
“We know that he is a great performer and we are lucky to have him in our lives guiding us and helping us to be the best that we can be. He has always had a high standard of excellence with us.
“We are looking forward to seeing him perform and get into action. We heard about what a great performer he is so we are excited to see him,” she added.
Ray, who also performed with Caribbean Rhythms in his younger years, will soon be heading off with Cover Drive on a two-week tour of summer camps in the United States, after which he will return to continue participating in Crop Over.
