Machel Montano, the Trinidad and Tobago soca superstar, has copped top honours at the International Reggae and World Music Awards held recently at the Apollo Theatre in New York City. The awards included Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer, Most Outstanding Stage Personality of the Year and the much-coveted, Bob Marley Entertainer of the Year Award.
Each year, reggae and world music industry experts select the nominees for these awards and music fans across the globe vote for the winners via ballots, which are made available online and in various newspapers, restaurants and record stores.
"One reason the IRAWMA award is such a coveted trophy is that winners are selected by reggae and world music fans around the world," founder and president of the IRAWMA, Ephraim Martin, said.
Other winners on the night included Taurus Riley, who took home trophies for Best Male Vocalist and Best Song - "She is Royal", Beenie Man, who earned awards for Best Recording Artist and Best Male DJ/Rapper, as well as the Marley brothers Stephen, Kymani and Ziggy, who received awards for Best CD (Stephen for Mind Control) Songwriter of the Year, and Producer's Respect Award (Kymani).
Ziggy Marley received the Marcus Garvey Humanitarian Award for charitable efforts achieved through his URGE organisation.
"I am totally overwhelmed and very grateful to the fans, the voters this weekend, and especially the awards committee," stated an exuberant Montano, after collecting his awards.
"It's motivation to put in the hard work for bigger and better things to come."
Since the end of Trinidad Carnival 2008, Montano has stayed busy, headlining back-to-back shows at the world-famous Madison Square Garden for the second year in a row and performing in the Cayman Islands. He is now readying himself to thrill fans at the upcoming "Best of the Best" show in Miami during Memorial Day weekend.
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With reports from Trinidad Express [9]