A born-again Christian whose
repertoire is totally dedicated to all things Christ-like, Stitchie,
like the great characters of the Bible, had his name changed after conversion
by doing away with the “Lieutenant” part of his moniker, which was
a throw back to the days when he ruled the dancehall as the Lt. Stitchie,
The Governor.
A former high school teacher
who graduated from the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and
Sport, Stitchie’s conversion was the culmination of two years spent
in quiet reflection on his purpose in life and contemplating eternity,
shortly after the death of his beloved mother.
It was following on a near-death
car crash on the way to perform at Reggae Sumfest in August 1997 and
the receipt of a Gideon Bible from a Canadian missionary that very night
that Stitchie, on returning to his hotel, prayed the sinner’s prayer
which was at the back of the bible and accepted Jesus Christ as his
Saviour.
Now comfortably preaching and
teaching the gospel, Stitchie, since his baptism in December of 1997,
has witnessed the mighty power of God in his career and in every other
area of his life. He is a member of the Covenant City Church in Kingston,
Jamaica, where both he and his wife Sophia serve as praise and worship
leaders when not on tour. Totally consumed by the gospel, Stitchie feels
it vital to surround himself with musicians who are of the same mind;
therefore all the members of his band are Christians, as are the member
of his back ground vocals, SAS (Saved, Anointed and Sanctified), a group
that he recently formed.
Easily one of the most sought
after gospel artistes in the genre of reggae, Stitchie has a reputation
for high-energy performances, excellent stagecraft and an effective
Christian ministry. Since the year 2000, he has been touring extensively
as a headliner, performing and ministering at gospel concerts, crusades,
church services, and various music festivals in the United States, Canada,
Great Britain, Wales, Switzerland, Germany, Jamaica and many other Caribbean
Islands.
Although not one to revel in
awards and take any praise unto himself, nevertheless the excellence
of this bond servant and ambassador for Christ has been recognized nationally
and internationally by various awarding bodies. Among them are the Jamaica
Federation of Musicians (JFM) which awarded Stitchie the Best Gospel
Artiste in 2001; the Caribbean Gospel Music Awards (Marlins) — Most
Outstanding Reggae Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year and Most Outstanding
Package; the Canadian Caribbean Gospel Award for Top Gospel Album in
2002 and again the JFM, also in 2002 for the Number One Gospel Artiste
in Jamaica and the Caribbean, and the French International Caribbean
Awards Top Gospel Artiste for 2003.
Stitchie proclaims that one
of his main concerns is living a Christian life that will be an example
to others, especially his former neighbours in the tough communities
of West Kingston and Spanish Town where he grew up and his fellow dancehall
colleagues.
www.stitchiemusic.com