GUYANA: Eddy Grant’s ‘Electric Avenue’ featured in this year’s Super Bowl + Video

The iconic Eddy Grant is a proud Guyanese.

Feb 13, 2022 Kaieteur News- By Davina Bagot

“It’s not once that BMW has chosen me and this particular song. It’s twice and that must be a world record itself because I can’t think of anybody else in the space of five years who had the same song used by a company for the Super Bowl. It’s a massive stage and every artiste, every writer would like to have this opportunity.” – Eddy Grant

Iconic Guyanese artiste, Eddy Grant has given his fans yet another reason to brag as he continues to display his talent on the international stage. This year, Grant, a singer/song writer, was privileged to have his song used in one of the advertisements played during the airing of the Super Bowl, viewed by millions globally.

Since its emergence in the late 1960’s, the United States (US) playoffs would see the best teams in the football sport meeting to defend or battle for the title, and given the importance of the game to the US, millions of dollars would be pumped into various aspects of the event.

AKWAABA to Ghana in this the “Year of Return” – by Francis Quamina Farrier

AKWAABA to Ghana in this the “Year of Return”

• by Francis Quamina Farrier

This coming Wednesday, March 6, 2019, the Republic of Ghana will be celebrating its sixty second Independence anniversary; not really a special number, but nonetheless, for that West African country, it is a special year – The Year of Return –  as they extend a joyous “AKWAABA”, (WELCOME), to one and all. During my most recent visit to Ghana, (September/October 2018), President Nana Kafu-Addo announced 2019 as “THE YEAR OF RETURN”, opening the Tourism Door wide to all who are desirous of visiting Ghana as it emerges from a very troubled Past to a Glorious Future.

Since that “Year of Return” announcement by the Ghanaian President, there have been a number of African American Celebrities – Supermodel Naomi Campbell being one – who have already visited Ghana where they received a warm Presidential AKWAABA, (WELCOME). On Tuesday March 5, 2019, Guyanese international Superstar, Eddy Grant, of Plaisance,  East Coast Demerara, will be celebrating his 71st. Birthday, and maybe he’ll be singing one of his very popular compositions, “Hello Africa”, to Ghana, a country where he is well-known and well-loved.   

Despite criticisms, UG prepares to bestow honorary doctorates on four Guyanese

University of Guyana

Oct 15, 2018 – Kaieteur News

The University of Guyana’s academic board has for the first time approved a decision to confer Honorary Doctorates on four distinguished Guyanese.

The board recently approved the petition from Vice Chancellor Ivelaw Griffith to confer Honorary Doctorates on the internationally acclaimed singer Eddy Grant of ‘Electric Avenue’ fame; Amerindian rights activist, Laura George; astute businessman, Yesu Persaud; and U.S based realty businessman and philanthropist, Jay Sobhraj.          

Guyana’s gifts to the world – By Alex Murray – BBC News

Guyana’s gifts to the world

By Alex Murray  – BBC News  – 26 May 2016

It’s 50 years since the British colony of British Guiana became Guyana.

Covering 214,969 sq km (83,000 sq miles), it is the only English-speaking country on mainland South America.

In popular culture, the country is sadly best known for the tragic events of Jonestown, where more than 900 people died in a mass suicide.

To mark the 50th anniversary of independence, BBC News highlights some of the positive contributions from “the land of a thousand rivers”.

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The Lost World        

Guyana’s gifts to the world – By Alex Murray BBC News

Guyana’s gifts to the world

Guyana 50th Anniversary Logo

By Alex Murray BBC News – 26 May 2016 – From the section Latin America & Caribbean

It’s 50 years since the British colony of Guiana became Guyana.

Covering 214,969 sq km (83,000 sq miles), it is the only English-speaking country on mainland South America.

In popular culture, the country is sadly best known for the tragic events of Jonestown, where more than 900 people died in a mass suicide.

To mark the 50th anniversary of independence, BBC News highlights some of the positive contributions from “the land of a thousand rivers”.

Read more – Guyana’s gifts to the world – BBC News

Eddy Grant’s ‘Electric Avenue’ rocks the Superbowl ads list + videos and bio

Eddy Grant’s ‘Electric Avenue’ rocks the Superbowl ads list

February 7, 2015 | By KNEWS

Eddy Grant

Guyanese International Superstar Eddy Grant was elated to find out that his iconic hit recording and song “Electric Avenue” would be featured in BMW’s Super Bowl commercial for the i3 electric car.

The ad features two of America’s best known television presenters, Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric, who is seen dancing to the song at the end of the ad. Eddy Grant who lives in Barbados said: “I have been in the music industry for over forty years and it is nice to know that a song I wrote and recorded thirty-three years ago is still in demand and could still be relevant in today’s commercial market. 

The Caribbean: Standing by Mandela – by Sir Ron Sanders

By Sir Ron Sanders

In memorialising Mandela, Caribbean people can proudly say that they stood with him in the time of the great struggle against apartheid – and he showed his appreciation says Sir Ronald Sanders.

A single word appears on the stone marking his burial place.  It is “Mandela”; and it is enough

Since December 5, that fateful day when Nelson Mandela left the world bereft of a leader the like of whom mankind had seldom experienced, much has been written and spoken in deserving tribute to him. But, it should not be forgotten that he was once called a “terrorist”; and apartheid – the system of institutionalised racism against which he fought, losing 27 years of his freedom – was justified by many governments for whom the Cold War alliance with the racist regime that controlled the country was more important than the rights of non-white South Africans.

The purpose of this commentary is to recall the role played by Caribbean people in freeing Mandela and ending apartheid.  

Eddy Grant’s idyllic island home in the Essequibo River + videos

Eddy’s home: International singing star Eddy Grant’s idyllic island home in the Essequibo River

Plaisance-born Eddy Grant of Guyana has made his mark as an entertainer around the world.  Now that he has reached 65 he can enjoy his life on his idyllic island in the Essequibo River. However, we know he will not forsake his Ringbang recording studios and plantation house in Barbados.  Enjoy!!!

Electric Avenue was a major hit for Eddy Grant early in is career.  Here is a playlist of some of his recordings.

EDDY GRANT – VIDEO PLAYLIST – 74 VIDEOS AUTOPLAY           

Georgetown: Restoration – commentary

Restoration

Posted By Staff Writer On February 3, 2013 –  Editorial | 

The news that Mayor Hamilton Green had convened a meeting attended, among others, by some well-known engineers, not to mention Eddy Grant, on how to go about restoring City Hall was certainly uplifting to the spirits of all citizens who have the material heritage of Georgetown at heart. A decision came out of it on how to proceed, which would have given residents a glimmer of hope that Ignatius Scoles’ stately structure may yet not suffer the same fate as the New Amsterdam Hospital.

The only reservation, if such it could be called, was the fact that no senior representative of government was in attendance, although that would be of little account provided that they are prepared to work with the city council and with the special technical team which is being proposed. The National Trust, however, was present, and they are of course a critical agency in their own right.   

Eddy Grant – 73 top songs/videos – continuous play

Eddy Grant –  73 top videos – continuous play

About Eddy Grant

Eddy Grant stands among an elite group of artists as one who has not just merely moved successfully across the musical spectrum, but has actually been at the forefront of genres and even created one of his own. From pop star to reggae radical, musical entrepreneur to the inventor of ringbang, the artist has cut a swath through the world of music and made it his own.

Born in Plaisance, Guyana, on March 5, 1948, the young Edmond Grant grew up on the sound of his homeland, tan singing, an Indo-Caribbean vocal style whose roots lay in South Asia and are the backbone of modern chutney. Then in 1960, the Grant family emigrated to England, taking up residence in the working-class Stoke Newington area of London. The young teen’s musical horizons swiftly expanded, embracing the R&B, blues, and rock that percolated across his new island home.    [read more About Eddy Grant ]

Read: Eddy Grant in Wikipedia.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_Grant