Michael Sparkey Drakes
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 1987 | SELF
Music
Press
https://guyanachronicle.com/2023/09/22/sparkeys-childhood-singing-leads-to-international-acclaim/ - Guyana Chronicle
Sparkey & Friends Back to Basics was nominated for several awards in Canada
2007 AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
TORONTO EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE, CANADA
Best International World CD Album
Best International World Artist
2007 Nominations:
Toronto Exclusive Magazine, Canada
Best International World Male Artist
Best International World Album
Best International World Song
January 3, Winner of the 2010 Best International Reggae Song – Toronto Exclusive Magazine(TEMA) for Zion Gate.
UNDERGROUND MUSIC AWARDS, NYC.
Best Reggae/Dancehall Artist, 2009
August 2010, nominated in the Best Reggae/Dancehall Artist category at the Underground Music Awards for Zion Gate.
2009: INERNET RADIO MAGAZINE
Named one of the top Twenty Independent Artist Online
Urban Mainstream Mag (Aug 31, 2007)
We really appreciate your music and it is very good. Urban Mainstream will feature you in issue: # 29″.
“Your sound is just what the movement needs!” - Totonto Exclusive Magazine
Discography
Album: Sparkey & Friends Back to Basics released 2007
Singles:
Pretty Body
She Want Me
Can't Breathe
T'ZA
Carnival Boo
Swing
Zion Gate
Don't Stop Whining
Photos
Bio
Fans will tell you that he has a voice that is distinctive and resonates with energy which is evident in his dancehall and raggasoca tracks. Born in Guyana, South America, he started singing in his church, he could be heard on any given Sunday thrilling the congregation with his heavy baritone voice.
Michael joined the Guyana Defence Force(GDF) it was here that he received the name of Sparkey. Sparkey performed with GDF and several other bands before leaving Guyana at the behest of the Tonik Band to relocate to Antigua in 1997. After the break-up of Tonik Band, Sparkey did stints with Vision 2000, writing and recording eleven of the twelve songs on the Vision 2000 album. One of the eleven songs, “Want Me Body” was written for Pat Raguette of the Virgin Islands and it became a mega-hit for her when it was released. To quote her, “I have never had a song like that since”.
In 2004 as a member of the group Da Bhann, Sparkey toured with Atlantic Recording artist Kevin Lyttle, because of his unique voice he was able to replace reggae artist Spragga Benz and Jamesy P on Kevin’s songs.
Moving on is hard, but in 2006 Sparkey and Da Bhann parted, he was convinced that this was the time to pursue a solo career. In April 2007, his first solo CD aptly titled “Sparkey & Friends Back 2 Basics” was released with fourteen tracks, ten soca and four reggae. Artists appearing on the CD are Claudette Peters of Taxik on Crazy, Mervyn Sleepy Edwards of Taxik on Best Friends, and Dalton Dyer of the new Tonik Band on Ah De Vibes.
His song Caught Up with video was released as he parted ways with DaBhann.
Links
