International reggae music icon Nadine Sutherland nearly veered off course when faced with the challenges of life and the demands of a fickle music industry. But fast-forward years later, with the Key to the City of Tamarac in her hands and both parents alive to share her joy, the Jamaican music icon is grateful she stayed the course so she could finally receive her “flowers”.
The singer, songwriter and actress was honoured on Saturday, October 10, at the second annual Red Gala at the Tamarac Community Center in Florida, recognising her contribution to Jamaican music and her cultural impact across the Caribbean and its diaspora. Looking gorgeous in smashing red dress, Sutherland showed out for the event, earning kudos from fans and peers alike on her Instagram account for her sartorial choices.
For Sutherland, who holds Jamaica’s Order of Distinction, the tribute brought years of perseverance into sharp focus.
“I am feeling blessed, blessed enough that there were moments when I wanted to divert from the course and I stayed the path, there have been ups and some downs. But I stayed the course, and God has been good to me and to be able to be living, to be receiving some flowers, I am honoured,” she told Dancehall Mag.
The recognition carried added meaning because her parents, who supported her from the beginning, could witness this latest milestone.
“Also both of my parents are alive to hear and see this and they were there in the beginning, and they have been walking with me, especially my dad who has been my protector in the early stages.”
That family connection made the honour deeply personal, even as the evening celebrated her wider contribution to bringing Jamaican music to international audiences.
“I am very, very, very honoured, feeling elated, feeling blessed, and most importantly, feeling thankful,” she said.
The gala also marked the tenth anniversary of elected service by Tamarac Vice Mayor Marlon D. Bolton, who recognised Sutherland’s artistic achievements and her role in strengthening cultural connections among Caribbean communities.
And the setting gave her plenty to celebrate. From the dress code to the decorations, red ruled the evening.
“The ceremony was exquisite, it was so beautifully done, nicely decorated, the food was great, Vice Mayor Marlon knows how to put on a show. I was just happy I was able to go in my red frock cause the dress code was red, the decor was red, everyone had on red, it was good it was exquisite,” she gushed.
For Sutherland, the evening’s deepest reward was receiving her flowers while the people who helped nurture her journey could still share in the moment.
She entered the music business in 1979 after a famous victory in the inaugural Tastee Talent contest.
Her career started at the tail of roots-reggae, with her initial songs, Young One Like Me and
Starvation on The Land produced and distributed by Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong label.
In the 1990s, Sutherland had sizable hit songs with Baby Face, Action (alongside Terror Fabulous), and Wicked Dickie (with Buju Banton).
She is also a prolific harmony singer whose vocals appear on songs by Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, and John Holt. Other career highlights include major kudos and instant star power and recognizability for her stint as a judge on Digicel Rising Stars.
She also earned a masters in cultural studies at the University of the West Indies few years ago.
