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HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN HEAVEN, MIKEY!
JUNE 04th, 2009
YOU ARE IN OUR THOUGHTS
WE LOVE YOU!
Mikey Dread's grave in Port Antonio, Jamaica
Monika and Zylen
Dread at the Controls - never forgotten
We love you!
For any question regarding MIKEY DREAD or DREAD AT THE CONTROLS please contact Mikey Dread's wife MONIKA CAMPBELL at:
mikey@mikeydread.com
MIKEY DREAD
THE DREAD AT THE CONTROLS
June 04, 1954 - March 15, 2008
MIKEY DREAD – MY SHINING STAR
By Monika Campbell
MARCH 15, 2009
Mikey Dread was a true genius, a never to be forgotten star. His accomplishments were many and it impossible to mention all of them. Mikey Dread was a man of charismatic personality and generous character. He was my husband, and the father of my only child. It breaks my heart to know that he will not be around to teach our son what he has taught me. One of many things he taught me was to understand the music business but foremost he taught me about life. Great charisma, intelligence and enormous musical talent were his strongest qualities. He also was a very articulate speaker which isn’t very surprising being a winner of multiple spelling championships as a young child. Mikey was blessed with a lot of talent for just one human being. He was a true genius and a shining star. He was an inspiration not only for me, but for many others as well. He was a man who was loved by many, just by being himself. He never had to act or pretend. It was simply his outgoing nature which made him stand out in a crowd. I had the opportunity to witness the unreal attraction from people of all races, all ages, and all genders. He was humorous, lively, friendly, and down to earth. He would never turn away a fan, and was always willing to take pictures, or sign an autograph. He had a wonderful knack for helping people. He would never turn his back on someone in need and was never expecting anything in return. Mikey had a lot of friends and fans. His phone would ring day and night, and the contact list in his phone was a few miles long.
One of the biggest legacies to Mikey Dread was his kindness and his generous heart.
Mikey Dread was a man who loved God, and lived by the principles of God. Jah was his life!
He was very ambitious and hard working in everything he did. When I met Mikey, he was taking a break from his musical career after being frustrated and ripped off by independent record labels. He was working on a degree in Communications. At that time he was attending Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, and was working full time at “Sky TV.” Even though he did not have a lot of time to study he did receive an outstanding honor degree called “Magna Cum Laude.” He was an extraordinarily intelligent man. Later, when he returned to the reggae business, he became his own booking agent, because nobody could negotiate as well as he could. I used to observe him negotiating with promoters, all the while doing all the calculations in his head; sometimes on a piece of paper. I never saw Mikey using a calculator. While he did not need any calculators, Mikey loved computers. He was on top of the game from the very beginning. When the internet started getting popular, Mikey was probably one of the first or maybe even the first Reggae artist to have his own website – www.mikeydread.com . I remember we used to go to Borders Bookstore to buy different books on computer programs, from Photoshop, to Dreamweaver, to Pro Tools. We taught ourselves the programs, so that we could be on top of the latest computer technology. We used to stay up all night just to figure out certain tricks, and the more we learned, the more he wanted to learn, and the happier he became.
I loved Mikey’s presence in my life. He was always encouraging, and I looked up to him in every possible way. Now, a year has passed since I lost Mikey, and I am still very heartbroken. The pain has not eased since that date. I lost my husband, my best friend, my protector and my advisor. I lost the man I wanted to spend my life with – the man of my life. I try to tell myself that Mikey’s passing was for a reason and even though I don’t understand the reason now, I hope I will do the day we meet again. The truth is that the best always go first, and Mikey was the best! Mikey will always be the reggae ambassador and the pioneer of reggae radio. Very few people have accomplished what Mikey had, as the talented and multi-tasked artist that he was. Mikey helped spread reggae widely throughout the world - so that the new generation of kids will get to know him. His work will be around for many years to come; just like the light from a star can be seen much after its death.
Right now, my focus is on my little son Zylen Jahlight, to bring him up the way his father would have wanted me to. To bring him up so that he knows how talented, how influential, how loved, and how very well respected his father was.
I would like to encourage all Mikey Dread’s fans and friends to please share any stories and comments about Mikey with me and my little son. Please email me any pictures and anything that could be valuable later on for the baby in getting to know his father.
"I LOVE YOU FOREVER"
The product of our love - Zylen Jahlight
Zylen - 16 months old
Mikey Dread rocking the crowed in Santa Cruz, California
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AUGUST 2008
TO ALL MIKEY DREAD’S FANS AND FRIENDS:
I would like to thank all of Mikey Dread’s fans and friends for all your moral support. The past few months have been devastating for me. It is very hard for me to cope with Mikey’s death – I am heartbroken.
Mikey Dread was a wonderful person, a beautiful soul and a very talented in many, many ways. I adored him for his musical talent, for his business sense and his intellectual achievements. He was one in a million! Mikey Dread was very special - he touched a lot of hearts. His concerts were filled with people of all races and all ages. He was a people person and never denied a request of an autograph or a picture taken with him. His death is such a lost not only to the reggae community but to humanity. He deserves a lot of respect and his legacy need to continue. He is a pioneer to reggae music and he dedicated his life to help reggae to achieve international recognition. He was a true Rasta and he loved God and spread the message of Jah to all his fans. Especially, he focused on his teenage fans and encouraged them to study their books and to do well in school. Education was an important issue for an intellectual man like Mikey Dread and he always encouraged “kids” at his shows to focus on their studies to have a better future.
I am asking all Mikey’s fans and DJs to please continue playing his music so that his message will continue from generation to generation. He is now an angel among us and we need to keep his name alive. We need to keep Mikey Dread in our hearts FOREVER.
I love you Mikey Dread!! Thank you for giving me the most beautiful gift ever, our baby son Zylen Jahlight. He keeps a smile on my face and gives me strength to move on without you.
Zylen Jahlight Campbell was born on October 12, 2007 while his daddy was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. He is a blessing from Jah. Months before the baby was born Mikey had a vision where his unborn baby son appeared in the light of Jah. Because of the vision Mikey gave his little baby boy the name Jahlight. Due to the condition of Mikey’s sickness and the sadness and stress during my pregnancy we were afraid that it may affect the baby in a negative way but luckily Zylen Jahlight was born healthy, tall and heavy (9.7lb).
Jahlight is a blessing and he resembles his daddy in many ways. He is not afraid of strangers and loves people. He is very brave and smiles a lot. He loves music and loves to travel. He wants to be constantly entertained and is very active. He keeps me busy but alive….
Thank You,
Mikey Dread’s wife - Monika Campbell
Please email me directly at mikey@mikeydread.com with comments and things you want to say about my beloved husband.
For questions:
Monika Campbell
Email: mikey@mikeydread.com
Zylen and Monika
Zylen- 9 months old
Zylen with mama
Zylen with daddy
Zylen- our happy little baby
Zylen on the mic
TOUR DATES IN 2007:
Saturday, April 21, 2007 - THE CABOZZE - 917 Cedar Ave - Minneaplois, MN 55404 - Doors: 8:30pm - Show: 9:30pm - $14/$16 - www.cabooze.com
Sunday, April 22, 2007 - THE ANNEX - 1206 Regent Street - Madison, WI - Doors: 9:00pm - Show: 9:30pm - $14/$16 - Phone: (608) 256-7750 - www.intheannex.com
CALIFORNIA SHOWS:
Saturday, May 26, 2007 - THE CATALYST -1011 Pacific Ave -Santa Cruz, CA 95060 - Doors: 7:30pm - Show: 8:30pm - $15/$19 - Phone:(831) 423-1338 - www.catalystclub.com
EAST COAST SHOWS:
Sunday, July 22, 2007 - Mikey Dread performing at THE OCEAN STATE REGGAE FESTIVAL - Ninigret Park Route 1A, Charlestown, RI 02813 - Info: 860.536.9832 - www.oceanstatereggae.com - Press Release / pdf file
Thursday, July 26, 2007 - Mikey Dread at THE RAMS HEAD Live! - 20 Market Place, Baltimore, MD 21202 - Info: 410.244.1131 - Doors: 7:00pm - $15 - ALL AGES SHOW! - Tickets on sale 4/14 at noon and are available through www.ramsheadlive.com
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ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR 2007:
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MIKEY DREAD IN SOLEDAD, CA - 2007:
Vince, Mikey and Ofie celebrating Josh's birthday
Steven, Mikey and Josh
Steven, Grandpa and Josh and family in Soledad
Josh and Priscilla in the limo
Bonitas!
Thanks to Vince and Ofie for bringing me to Soledad
Grandpa, Mikey and Ofie
Mikey and an Aztec spiritual dancer in Soledad
Fans in Soledad celebrating Josh's 18th birthday
by jamming to some original Mikey Dread Reggae music
Soledad - January 27, 2007
At the birthday party with Josh's aunt
The "Dread at the Controls" crew
"Break down the Walls"
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Leon, Mikey, Lloyd - Brothers
THE DREAD ON MAUI OVER THE NEW YEAR - 2007:
Mikey and Bruno
Mikey and his new family
Mikey and Sophia
Mikey Dread on the way to Hana in Maui
"He's a surfer - She's surfer - sufing in the Maui water"
Enjoying the sunset on Maui
Mikey and Uala
MIKEY DREAD AT MARTHA'S VINEYARD OVER CHRISTMAS 2006:
Mikey and Willie (Peter Simon's son)
Mikey Dread and Glen - the Drummer
Mikey and Monika taking care of buisness
Mikey Dread rocking the crowed!
Glen on Drums
Mikey Dread with fans and friends
Mikey Dread relaxing after the great show
at Martha's Vineyard
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CHECK OUT MIKEY DREAD ON "MY SPACE" AT: www.myspace.com/datc
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