Former Third World drummer assembles reggae legends for ‘historic’ collab
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Former Third World drummer, William ‘Willie’ Stewart, at last Thursday’s thanksgiving service for Stephen ‘Cat’ Coore. Stewart has written, arranged and is the co-executive producer of the song ‘Have a Little Faith’. All proceeds will go towards Hurricane Melissa relief.
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Wayne Armond of Chalice at the Thanksgiving Service for Desi Jones held on June 3, 2024 at the Cathedral of The Most Holy Trinity in Kingston. He is one of the singers on ‘Have a Little Faith’.
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Gem Myers performing at “Gem with a little help from her friends” on May 12, 2024, at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre, St Andrew. Producer, Willie Stewart, selected her as one of the artistes on his humanitarian project.
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Leroy Sibbles performs at Jamaica’s 63rd Independence Grand Gala held at the National Stadium, August 6, 2025.
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Reggae crooner Glen Washington was happy to be a part of the project.
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JC Lodge performing at the recent Wickie Wackie Music Festival in 8 Mile, Bull Bay. She voiced her verse and ad libs for ‘Have a Little Faith’ in England, where she is based.
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Veteran reggae gospel artiste Carlene Davis was on the original ballad, which Stewart recorded 28 years ago and is also on the revised song, which was released on February 6.
At the thanksgiving service for Stephen ‘Cat’ Coore last Thursday, the Rev. Astor Carlyle asked a serious question, “Which musician will write a song for Cuba? For Haiti? For those whose rights are trampled upon?”
Well, William ‘Willie’ Stewart, former drummer for Third World, told Rev. Carlye after the service that he has such a song, it’s titled Have a Little Faith, and even played it for him.
Stewart, the writer, composer and co-executive producer of Have a Little Faith, told The Gleaner that the track is “an anthem of hope for the world” and it is imbued with a spirit of solidarity that speaks profoundly through the voices of reggae legends who were all eager to be a part of this effort. Wayne Armond, Gem Myers, Carlene Davis, DWisdom, Leroy Sibbles, J.C. Lodge, Glen Washington, Patrick Ulysees Pinkney, Alecia Marie, and Carl McDonald have donated their time and all proceeds to the ongoing Hurricane Melissa relief effort. They voiced their individual parts from studios either in England, Florida and Atlanta where they are based.
An enthusiastic Stewart, who, incidentally is a walking history book , called the collaboration “historic”. He commended the artistes; legendary keyboard player, Robbie Lyn; engineer, Sean Wedderburn; and co-executive producer Steve Lane of Digital 1 Media Services for their exceptional service. The song was released on February 6, and Stewart shared that it is “already drawing strong early praise”.
Walking down memory lane, Stewart recalled his fear when he heard that Melissa was approaching, particularly because of his own traumatic experience during Hurricane Gilbert in 1988.
“When the storm lick, is like I was in the storm,” Stewart told The Gleaner, with a little tremor in his voice.
“I tired, I feel depressed. When we saw the humanitarian effort coming in, my wife said, ‘Willie, if someone could write a song... .’ And I said, but I’m a musician, I’m a songwriter. And, God would have it that Steve Lane... the nephew of the great Clancy Eccles ... called me about doing a song. I told him that I already have one, but it was in a ballad. It had Richie Stephens, Carlene Davis, Prilly Hamilton and Althea from Althea and Donna. I knew it was a special song,” Stewart said of the demo track which was originally recorded 28 years ago, but never released.
He then called Robbie Lyn, the only man he knew who could take a foreign song, play it in reggae and put back everything as it was. Within two days Lyn sent back the outline and then he asked himself, “’If Dennis Brown and John Holt were here, how would they approach this?’ And it came to me ... strings. Strings is the heart, and when you want people to feel music from the heart, you use strings.”
His next move was a visit to the University of Miami where he got a few students from the orchestra to play.
“When I sat down in the studio at the university and when I hear the string play on the track ... is like my heart come down. I asked all of them to send a message to Jamaica,” Stewart said.
For the pilot, he enlisted his Rhythms of Africa singers and Ann Marie Thompson, who used to sing with the Wailers, all under the direction of Vinnie Hamilton, and, “as God would have it, all the artistes who [he] called jumped onboard without hesitation”.
“When [deejay] Tonto Irie heard it he said it’s an international song and I told him yes, because the message is for Jamaica and the world. Yuh cyaan seh ‘Melissa’, yuh have to have something that people can relate to so that they will buy the song. The message is for the world, but the proceeds must go to rebuild Jamaica. Irie FM heard about it and called me and since then radio stations all over the world calling me for the song. I hope that it does well and it comforts the people,” Stewart said.
A prolific musician and cultural ambassador, Willie Stewart was born in England and raised in Jamaica. The younger brother of Byron Lee, he performed with Inner Circle, toured as the youngest member of Byron Lee & the Dragonaires, and spent 23 years with Third World. He played on 13 albums, five of which were Grammy-nominated. Post-Third World, Stewart shared that he trained as a music facilitator and went to work in schools with children.
The first live performance of Have A Little Faith will take place at Rhythms of Africa: Run Di Riddim – Every Beat for Jamaica, on April 18 and 19 at Miramar Cultural Center in Florida.
yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com