King Yellowman, Richie Stephens, Kashief Lindo headline free backyard bash in upstate New York
Key Points(5)
- King Yellowman and reggae crooner Richie Stephens were in fine nick as they brought the energy recently for more than 300 guests at the annual backyard concert billed “Summer Jam,” hosted by Jamaican-born attorney Merrick Dammar and his Trinidadian wife, Debbie.
- What started as a backyard get-together at the couple’s sprawling private estate in upstate New York, outfitted with a helicopter landing pad, has quietly become a can’t-miss date on the reggae calendar.
- Over the decades, the Dammars have brought out serious heavy hitters, including the late Jimmy Cliff, Reggae Queen Marcia Griffiths, soca star Crazy, Ernie Smith, Pluto Shervington, Ansel “Meditation,” comedian Oliver Samuels and soca star Lord Laro, among others.
- This year added another chapter to that storied legacy.
- New York-based reggae and dancehall singer Royal Deb, who hails from Orange Hill, St.
King Yellowman and reggae crooner Richie Stephens were in fine nick as they brought the energy recently for more than 300 guests at the annual backyard concert billed “Summer Jam,” hosted by Jamaican-born attorney Merrick Dammar and his Trinidadian wife, Debbie.
What started as a backyard get-together at the couple’s sprawling private estate in upstate New York, outfitted with a helicopter landing pad, has quietly become a can’t-miss date on the reggae calendar. Over the decades, the Dammars have brought out serious heavy hitters, including the late Jimmy Cliff, Reggae Queen Marcia Griffiths, soca star Crazy, Ernie Smith, Pluto Shervington, Ansel “Meditation,” comedian Oliver Samuels and soca star Lord Laro, among others. This year added another chapter to that storied legacy.
New York-based reggae and dancehall singer Royal Deb, who hails from Orange Hill, St. Ann, got the party started, raising the roof with “Paramedics,” a braggadocious, high-energy song that boasts about her lyrical prowess. She was followed by Florida-based singer Kashief Lindo, who found his groove, sliding between Bob Marley and Beres Hammond covers before wrapping with his own hits, “No Can Do” and “First Cut.”
Yellowman, who first broke through in the music industry in the late 1970s after winning Kingston’s Tastee Talent contest, launched his international career with hits like “I’m Getting Married in the Morning” and “Zungu Zungu Zeng.” Decades later, his ability to entertain has not dulled.
King Yellowman opened his set with “Nobody Move,” sliding into “54-46,” a nod to Toots Hibbert, before running through a medley of hits that had the crowd chanting his name. Deep cuts from the 1970s, including “Duppy Gunman,” “Come Back Darling,” “Blueberry Hill,” “Members Only” and his own version of “Bam Bam,” hit the sweet spot. He closed with “Rastaman Chant,” an adaptation of the Rastafarian Nyabinghi spiritual chant made famous by Bob Marley & The Wailers. The song was a fitting bookend to a night built on giving back.
If Yellowman brought the nostalgia, Richie Stephens brought the emotion. The singer worked through a set of fan favorites, including “Trying to Get to You,” “Let’s Drink,” Dennis Brown’s “Love Got a Hold on Me” and “Fight Back,” which was originally recorded with Garnett Silk in 1994, before pausing for what became the night’s most affecting moment — a heartfelt musical tribute.
Stephens repurposed “Statue of a Fool” to honor Merrick, Debbie and their two children, who joined him onstage. The gesture caught Merrick, his family and the crowd off guard, turning a celebratory backyard party into a shared moment of reflection.
Stephens wasn’t just there to perform, though. He was also there to be honored.
Following Hurricane Melissa’s devastation last year across western Jamaica, Stephens stepped up with relief efforts in the hard-hit Russia district off Hudson Street in Westmoreland, and Merrick used the evening to publicly recognize that work. Taking the mic before the crowd, Merrick didn’t hold back his admiration.
“I admire you more than any words that I possess could ever measure up to,” he told Stephens, before explaining exactly why. “You made Jamaica, that was struggling, look proud in the eyes of the world — to know that we, as fellow Jamaicans, can help others in times of need. You didn’t have to do it, but you did.”
Then came the surprise.
“You see what happened when you surprised me? I’m going to surprise you now,” Merrick said, unveiling an award for the “Trying to Get to You” singer.
“Payback time! Congratulations! That’s how we do it!” Merrick stated before turning to the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s hear it for the humanitarian, Mr. Richard Stepenson!”
A visibly moved Stephens took the moment in stride, telling the audience the honor outweighed anything his career had given him.
“You see the reason why this is more important than Grammy? It’s about humanitarianism. It is not about my personal musical career,” he shared.
For Merrick and his family, the annual gathering has never been about spectacle. Asked what drives him to host it year after year, he pointed to something simpler — a sense of obligation to share good fortune.
“If you’re in a position to bring people joy,” he said, “you’re obligated to do it.”
