PORT ST. LUCIE PEOPLE
Originating from 55-gallon drums in Trinidad and Tobago,
steel drums are common around the Caribbean. Graham’s
$5,000 tenor drum was manufactured by Panyard from a
sheet of steel in Akron, Ohio. Technicians come by twice a
year to tune the instrument.
When he first began playing at Conchy Joe’s, Graham was
living in Fort Lauderdale and commuting. “It was the best
move I ever made,” he says of his relocation. “I’m not a big
city guy. It’s the little place in Jensen Beach, the little fishing
village. I love entertaining and when they like what you are
doing that’s all I need. I have been here for 30 years and I’m
going to be there (Conchy Joe’s) forever.” E
“This is what I like about what I do,” he says. “The main
ingredient is reggae, but we mix it up with a little bit of everything
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else.”
The cover tunes “are mostly songs I like,” he says. “If
people love them, I will keep on doing them.”
Some of his favorites are Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful
Tonight” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” popularized by
Elvis Presley. Others include an instrumental version of Frank
Sinatra’s signature “My Way,” Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in
the Wall,” “Everything I Own” by Bread, “Day After Day” by
Badfinger, Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me,” and “Cool Change” by
the Little River Band.
The remakes are from the styles of blues, rock, reggae,
country and rhythm and blues. “(Bluesman) Stevie Ray
Vaughn is coming next,” Graham says.
One night four guys walked in and told Graham he was
supposed to be playing reggae. They said they would give
him $5 if he could play a Rolling Stones song. Minutes later,
Graham launched into the haunting opening of the Stones’
“Ruby Tuesday.” The four guys stared at each other in disbelief,
Graham says.
Since he began playing solo on Mondays, Graham says one
snowbird couple has been there every night during the winter
season. Another man frequently asks to play a particular song
and drops a $100 bill in the tip jar. That song always gets
played, Graham says.
Two of Graham’s personal favorites are “Free Fallin’” by the
late Tom Petty and “Imagine” by John Lennon. “Who doesn’t
love the Beatles?” says Graham. Rainfall’s version of “Nights
in White Satin” by the Moody Blues is mesmerizing, and so is
the eerie rendition of “Hotel California” by the Eagles.
JAMES “JIMMY G” GRAHAM
Age: 67
Lives in: Port St. Lucie
Occupation: Steel drummer,
singer, composer and arranger
Family: Sons, Brian, Christopher,
Mark and Adrian; five
grandchildren
Education: Falmouth Primary
School, Falmouth, Jamaica
Hobbies: Watching TV news and sports, football, basketball
and soccer
Who inspires me: “Bob Marley because of his songs and
their meaning. If you listen to his songs today, to the word
it is like what he said then is happening now. One love, one
heart, one destiny.”
Something most people don’t know about me: “I have been
a lifeguard and a cabinetmaker.”
PIERCE
PIERCE
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