Brian McKnight Photos 1 of 2

ROAD TOWN, Tortola – BRIAN MCKNIGHT and Jonathon Butler are the acts confirmed so far for the BVI Music Festival slated the Cane Garden Bay beach on May 28-30.

Public Relations Officer David Archer said this year is the 10th anniversary of the Music Fest and they intend to contract artistes would cater to the various demographics of the British Virgin Islands.

He also said that a number of pre-festival activities would be taking place at the Festival’s location, including a cooking competition and a beach party.

The three-day Fest usually features artistes that attract Spanish-speaking persons, as well as lovers of Soca, Reggae, Dancehall and Gospel music.

Archer told SKNVibes that McKnight is among those artistes confirmed to perform at the BVI Music Fest..
Brian McKnight is an artiste who needs no introduction. He has earned himself a spot in contemporary music history and has released a total of 11 albums to date. Seven of those albums have gone platinum and he has sold over 20 million albums worldwide.

In an industry known for a constantly revolving door of artistes, McKnight has easily established himself with an enviable record of chart consistency. He has toured successfully for over a decade, and collaborated with performers across every genre including Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Puffy, Christina Aquilera, Rascal Flatts, Nelly, Vanessa Williams, Willie Nelson and Kenny G.

Jonathan Butler is said to be the product of the Western World. At age 13, Jonathan's talents caught the ears and eyes of British record producer Clive Caulder.

He was signed to Caulder's Jive Records and, as the old cliche goes, the rest is history. Jonathan's first single broke down racial barriers, becoming the first song by a black artiste to be played by white radio stations in South Africa.

Because Jive was headquartered in England, Jonathan decided to move there to focus on his recording career. His commitment to his craft paid off with his self-titled debut album, which received a Grammy nomination for the pop hit ‘Lies.’

Jonathan's ability to blend his roots in African music with western pop sensibilities would be a trademark of many albums to follow, though never more refined than in his latest release. For example, the first single from Jonathan is a rendition of the folk-rock classic ‘Fire and Rain’. Butler breathes new life into this classic, infusing the vocals with intensity, as subtle as it is powerful.

The musical arrangement is lively and soulful, indicative of his roots in World music. ‘Fire and Rain’ is already garnering accolades from top radio programmers. Lori Lewis, Programme Director for WSMJ in Baltimore states, "It literally gave me a lump in my throat. I walked into the studio and introduced it live on air. Vocals this great are really rare."

Last year’s artistes included Tanya Stephens, Queen Ifrica, Sizzla, Daddy Yankee, Serani, Peter Ram and Busy Signal.