Wayne Wonder ADD

Although  dancehall Reggae deejays (rappers) must be lyrically tough, unleashing  rapid-fire guns in the ghetto rhymes and inflated sexual boastings, Reggae  dancehall singers can attain great popularity sensitively cooing about a new  found love, melodically lamenting a love gone wrong and emotionally conveying  other oh-so tender concerns. The sensual, honeyed vocals of Wayne Wonder have  made him a consistent hit maker with both extraordinary songs for lovers and  the streets since the late 80s.   Born  Von Wayne Charles on July 26 in Buff Bay, Portland, Wayne s initial singing  inspiration came from attending Sunday school, where singing was compulsory,  and from his mother who sang in church. As a child Wayne and his family moved  all over eastern Kingston, living in areas such as Dunkirk, Franklin Town and  Rae Town, home of the weekly Sunday night Reggae/R&B oldies street dance.  The exposure to vintage 45's at these dances would provide Wayne with a richer, more soulful vocal  approach to a Reggae rhythm track than many of his contemporaries. It was at  secondary school where Wayne's thoughtfulness  and philosophical nature led to the acquisition of the nickname Wonder; young Wayne sang at school, at  home, at church and for his friends and wherever he sang, he was encouraged to  pursue his craft professionally.   The first  producer Wayne  recorded for was the legendary creator of dub, the late King Tubby. Wayne voiced three  original songs for Tubby, but the one that caught the public's attention was  his cover version of British heartthrob Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give  You Up." In 1988, Wayne  was devastated by the death of Tubby who was among the most significant  influences in his early career. Wayne  then linked up with producer Lloyd Dennis voicing the hit "It's Over Now" on  the popular Cover Me rhythm (titled after the hit by Ninja Man and Tinga  Stewart) for Dennis' Pickout label. "That was actually the first song that  start to play, like I could go to the dance and look forward to hearing it," Wayne recalls, "so my  inspiration grew more from there."  Wayne also recorded his  debut album No More Chance on the Pickout label.  No More Chance contained seven  original tracks and several obligatory cover versions, reflecting Jamaican  producers preference for recording singers doing American R&B hits.  "When I first started out, I got so  frustrated, because you carry original material to the studio and they act like  they don't even want to hear it," Wayne  explains. "They don't accept it. They want you to sing over something that  everybody already know. Them don't spend time to hear your creativity or what  you try to originate."   Around  1989, Wayne  began collaborating with his childhood friend Dave Kelly. At the time, Kelly  was an engineer for Donovan Germaine's Penthouse Records, the label synonymous  with Dancehall Reggae hits of the late 80s/early 90s. Together Wayne and Dave  created a steady stream of successful Penthouse tunes including "I'm Only  Human," "Baby You and I" and "Saddest Day" (which Wayne re-recorded in combination with Foxy  Brown on her 2001 Def Jam Records Broken Silence CD). Wayne became well known for his 1991 cover  version of the late Jamaican singer Delroy Wilson's "I Don t Know  Why" re-titled "Movie Star." The same song in combination with  Buju Banton (whom Wayne  brought to Penthouse Records) "Bonafide Love" proved to be a huge  success as well, remaining a heavily requested tune even today.   Wayne achieved  several hits with Penthouse covering the work of American artists including  Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," PM Dawn's "Die Without You" and  En Vogue's "Hold On" but in 1993 he pledged he would only record  original material. "From that time, I haven't covered a song, everything is all  original music," declares Wayne who has co-written hits for other artists  including Buju Banton's "Deportees" and "Murderer."  Wayne  says,"I don't feel proud if I cannot sing my songs, it's a different feel  that it gives you than singing someone else's song. How can I be touring and  singing other people's songs? I'm supposed to be touring and singing my  songs!"   Wayne  and Dave Kelly continued their successful musical relationship when Kelly  founded his own Madhouse and Xtra Large labels. Wayne recorded many hits for Madhouse spanning  the mid to late 90s, including "Joyride," "Bashment Gal,"  and "Keep Them Coming." Wayne  introduced an extra dimension with "Let Your Conscience Set You Free"  recorded in combination with his alter ego, deejay Surprize. "I have a lot of  tracks on the road like Wayne Wonder featuring Surprize. Really, I'm the deejay  as well as the singer, that is the surprise. My creative juices get crazy on me  so I apply them in different ways."   Surprize was also featured on several tracks of Wayne's 2001 release Schizophrenic as was Wayne's underground group Entourage, featuring his deejay protege Showki  Ru (pronounced sho-kee roo).  Wayne launched his  own record label Singso in 2000 and has released singles by several artists  including Baby Cham, Alley Cat, Frankie Sly, and Mr. Easy.   In 2002, Wayne earned the first #1  hit of his career pledging a lifetime of devotion on the sweetly romantic hit  "No Letting Go."  Steve "Lenky"  Marsden, the multitalented musician and producer, whose hypnotic Diwali rhythm  track supports Wayne's  sweet serenading on "No Letting Go" is one of the featured producers  on the album, along with heavy hitters Tony Kelly and Sly Dunbar.   Much  of the pre-production work was done in Wayne's  home studio in the US, as  well as recording tracks in Jamaica.  Wayne wrote or  co-wrote all of the songs on No Holding Back and the album featured the  same superlative vocal and songwriting standards his fans have come to  expect from him over the years. Wonder's  career exploded globally in 2003 when his album No Holding Back and the  single "No Letting Go" were released on the major label, Atlantic  Records. The smooth single dominated Urban and Pop radio (reaching #11 on the  Billboard Hot 100 Pop chart) in America  and the album, No Holding Back received a Grammy nomination for Best  Reggae Album, a MOBO Award in the UK, three BMI Urban awards, and a  live performance on NBC Television's "Saturday Night Live."  The follow-up single and video "Bounce Along"  reached #12 on the UK  pop charts.   His  inspired version of "Hold Me Now" (originally recorded by the  Thompson Twins) appeared on the 2004's successful 50 First Dates (starring Adam Sandler / Drew Barrymore) movie soundtrack and was produced by  No Doubt's Tony Kanal with a video directed by Gil Green for Madonna's Maverick  Records label.  Wayne also anchored the hit track "Anything  Goes" (w/ CNN: Capone & N.O.R.E and Lexxus) for the Def Jamaica compilation  which received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album.  These songs among so many of Wayne's bonafide  hits were crowd favorites as he headlined an extensive world tour with his  Entourage Band in 2004-05 performing in N. America, the Caribbean, Europe,  Asia, and Africa   Wayne has been  working tirelessly in the studio completing tracks for his upcoming album "Foreva" to be released on Singso/VP Records September, 25th, 2007.   He is writing and producing many of the tracks and collaborations with  producers Tony Kelly and Don Corleone.   Corleone and Wonder's hit song "I Still Believe" on the Seasons rhythm  is huge hit on the top of the worldwide reggae charts, while the Kelly produced  "Gonna Love U" is gaining momentum in the underground clubs and charts in the  core market.   I just  want to do good songs," Wayne  concludes. "I'm keeping the mainstream recognition in mind but adding my  creative flow to it because I want people to know that Wayne Wonder is not  limited. Once I finish an album, I'll hit the road and tour. I got a good band  together and I really feel pleased. I can go out there now and really represent  myself."