Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

General Trees

Amos Edwards' deep, gravely voice often reminds of an era when listening to dancehall was just a little bit rude. Known better as General Trees, Edwards began to "put out a vibe" in the early 1970s as a youth trying to making it in the music business. It was in the mid-80s that he showed off his speed rapping style with timely topical lyrics and high-energy performances to a wider crowd. Trees soon won the JBC's 1986 Song of the Year award for Mini Bus. Other hits such as One Hundred Per Cent and the suitably titled album Ragga Ragga Raggamuffin followed, until soon Trees was in charge of the Jamaican dancehall scene. The Sunday Gleaner caught up with the elusive entertainer to talk about his rise and years in the service of music.

How did you get the name?

My name come from a card play. I love play cards and I always want threes. I feel is like Barry G gave me the name when I entered di Mother's patty competition. He seh sumting like I like your voice, you sound like, a General with three voices in one. From then I just go as General Trees.

Did you always want to do music?

No, music just come. Music just start from an early age. Me just used to lively up the corner from an early age.

How did you get started in the business?

This guy called Sassa Frass, he was working at Caymanas Park and was a deejay on Black Scorpio sound. He lived near by me and me used to go up to Scorpio every Thursday night to listen to him deejay. Sass hear me one night a deejay pon di corner and ask me if me serious, I seh no. He tell me to come by Scorpio and from there I start deejay wid dem, follow dem round di place.

What did your family think of you doing music?

Most of dem didn't like it. My mom had died when I was a child and my father used to boogie round di place, so is my granny and sisters raise me. My granny and sisters neva like it, seh wha mi a do a bleach all night. But is like a power in me, mi neva care about nuting else. It neva benefit me much, but I knew I had a trade. Then after a while people start request me all over the world and then u tek it on a different level. Yuh start build yuh own lyrics, tek yuh to different levels, yuh start do conscious tunes, gimmicks. Is not like nowadays where deejay a kill people wid dem lyrics.

How many albums do you have?

About four or five albums. Young Horseman, Minibus, So So and I got two more but I can't remember di names. I have a new one called Reach A Negril, but I holding on to it. I keep adding new stuff to it.

Is there anything that you regret in your career?

"I don't regret doing music. I can't regret nuting about that. I regret that these yutes nowadays a do dem lyrics.

Did you ever play with any other sound than Black Scorpio?

Tell yuh di truth right now, I'm working with Stur-Gav round three years now. From dat when dem book Stur-Gav, dem feature me on di sound. Mi still do stuff with Black Scorpio, but right now mi do stuff wid Stur-Gav as well.

Were you a shoemaker at one point?

"Yeah (laughs). Slippers bottom and waterboots. Dis was before music. That's where di inspiration come from, working on a pair of shoes. Shoemaker work and music. Even right now if mi likkle yute seh dem want a shoes mi go mek it for him.

Do you still do any shoemaking?

Tell yuh di truth right now, not so much. Some yute seh 'DJ mek mi a shoes nuh', but before mi can do it mi haffi go on tour. My likkle brother tek on di trade.

How would you describe your performances on stage?

I can dance a lot. We create our own moves ourselves; we don't see people and follow. Right now, I have a new dance called 'Wallawom'. I try my best to do a good performance, sing and dance in the groove.

When you began, did you intend to make records or just DJ?

When I began is just record. When yuh play lyrics at a dance a promoter seh 'Trees I like the lyrics' and record it. Not like now; I hardly voice.

Why don't you voice anymore?

A lot of producers are like reducers. Dem tek yuh song and mek it crazy in Europe; when yuh ask dem bout it, dem seh dem neva release it.

How has the business changed?

Well, yuh know life goes on, deejays come and go. We are veterans; we still tour di world. We might not be in the limelight, but people need to see the younger folk. We give thanks for what we got.

Do you have any children?

Yeah, four.

Are any of them interested in music?

Well, I have a little daughter, she come in like bird when she sing. She was to enter Rising Stars this year, but her mother neva like di idea, so we tell her no.

What are you currently doing?

I'm suppose to be in Japan by month end. I'm working on new lyrics; that's my focus. I have a lot of new things coming up.