Island vibes at the beach

Jamaican composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Clinton Fearon will bring his acoustic solo reggae show to the Beach Club & Events Center in Lincoln City this Sunday, June 30.

A professional since the age of 19, Fearon was born in Jamaica and became the bassist, vocalist and lyricist for the mythic Gladiators, as well as a session musician for Coxsonne Dodd in Studio One and Lee “Scratch” Perry at Black Ark, two of the main producers on the island at this time. He also composed some everlasting bass lines for well-known artists like Yabby You, Jimmy Riley, Max Romeo and Junior Byles.

“My music is roots reggae from the island of Jamaica,” Fearon said. “I grew up deep in the hills, up in St. Catherine, surrounded by nature, beauty and hard work. Even as a child, I knew I wanted to be a musician and began my career singing in church and at school, and eventually built my own guitar. As a teenager, my journeys took me to Kingston where I met many musicians and began writing and recording music. The Skatalites, Motown artists and Jamaican musicians who came before me all influenced my music.”

After leaving Jamaica 1987, Fearon started a new career in Seattle. With other musicians of the Gladiators, he decided to stay in the US and founded The Defenders. The band built a nice following in the Northwest, but after five years the band split and Fearon formed the Boogie Brown Band with local musicians. Clinton recorded eight albums with Boogie Brown Band and two albums in solo acoustic.

“My music is good for the soul - always with a message of hope and betterment for tomorrow,” he said. “It's good for dancing, good for listening and I think it's good for all.”

The show begins at 6:30 pm at the Beach Club & Events Center, located at 2020 NE 22nd Street in Lincoln City. Tickets are $20 in person or online at BrownPaperTickets.com. For more information, go to thebeachclublc.com or call 541-418-5468.