Teino Evans, Staff Reporter
IT STARTED with his love for God, then he found the guitar and, after getting the inspiration to write songs, Alanzo W. Brooks has managed to release his very first gospel album, 'When Love Shines'.
Brooks, who grew up in the small district of Stephens Run in St. Elizabeth, said his career found its genesis when he made the decision to follow Christ shortly after he left high school.
"After I left school, I got baptised in 1997, after which I started to fool around the guitar and some songs came to mind and I thought that it would be good to record them," he said.
Brooks says the experience has been quite rewarding.
"It is a good experience, hearing your songs playing on the radio and other people telling you that the words of the songs are comforting. Just recently one of my friends even called me and said that one of my songs, 'I Will Do Anything', made him feel as if he wanted to get saved," Brooks said.
INVOLVEMENT
Brooks, who is currently a member of the Shiloh Apostolic Church of Jamaica, says he does all that he can to get involved in the ministry of his church, as he also sings on the choir and sometimes plays the guitar in church.
This is only the beginning for Brooks as he hopes to extend his ministry's reach to the international stage.
"I want to take my music worldwide, so that the message can get across to all ears," he said.
His performances are few and far apart, as they are currently limited to his church convocations and within his own church's circles.
His two-week-old album boasts seven spiritual tracks. He describes it as a mixture of reggae and country gospel, with a touch of mento.
Brooks says his role models in music were from the secular world.
"My role models are like Bob Marley, Kenny Rogers and Elvis Presley, so this helped to influence my choice of music on the album," he said.
Brooks says the songs on his album seek to address certain issues in Christendom, while seeking to encourage Christians.
"A song like 'Sanctify Me', is basically a song that is seeking to encourage people, and that is my personal testimony. All of my songs, as a matter of fact, are a form of testimony," he said.
It was never an easy road.
"The money for me is the hardest part, because I had to finance myself and especially where gospel music is concerned, there are not many persons who are willing to produce and distribute gospel music," Brooks said.
Brooks says he has had tremendous support from his family and friends, as members of his family have assisted him financially. However, as a solo artiste, he still had to push himself a lot.
"Financially and otherwise, my family members have encouraged me, but most of the time you just have to make up your mind to try and push yourself. Especially in my church, I am the first to really be doing something like this, so it's not like I have a set pattern to follow," Brooks said.
According to Brooks, people have described him in many different ways, but he sees himself as a man who is willing to do just about anything that God would have him do, and that is what has kept him going, even in times of despair.
Brooks challenged those who were unsaved to "try to know God and get to love Him, because there is a special peace and comfort in doing that".
Brooks challenged those who were unsaved to "try to know God and get to love Him, because there is a special peace and comfort in doing that".
