Lloyd Cummings, Jamaica-born broadcaster, is on WURD-AM radio in Philadelphia. - Contributed
A Jamaica-born broadcaster, whose path led from the lush green mountainside of Cedar Valley outside Kingston to America, starts his 34th year on the radio during 2007. Lloyd Cummings, who uses 'One Love' as his studio sign-off, currently brings talk radio and Caribbean music to the 'City of Brotherly Love', Philadelphia, PA., through his show 'Caribbean Magazine'.
Cummings, born in the parish of St. Thomas, chose a career that led him from Jamaica to London, Canada and New York before settling in Philadelphia, where he did the major stints of his top-rated weekly radio show. Various radio stations took him on board to bring the JA/Caribbean link to the homesick expatriates who appreciate his reading of bulletins from Caribbean news outlets on his programme. He searches for news from Caribbean news Internet websites and will tell both the good (tourism up) and the bad (crime up!)
Silver-tongued broadcaster
The silver-tongued broadcaster is articulate and has an appealing British inflection, while throwing in some occasional patois when handling the news, reggae, soca and calypso music. His show on WURD-AM radio in Philadelphia is now on the Internet for the world to listen, at 900AMWURD.com, Saturdays 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
"We had a tremendous pick-up in listeners when we started streaming on the Internet," he says. "Now I have friends, relatives and new listeners (who can call in on his talk show) in Cedar Valley, London (daughter and family still there), Sweden, Holland, Australia, Canada, and in the American states such as North Carolina, Florida and New York."
Cummings, who come from a large family, started spreading the joys of music from the West Indies while living in London. "I emigrated from Jamaica at age 19 because I wanted a new life," he explains. "Britain had no radio stations playing reggae because of BBC-radio restrictions. Record stores were just introducing music from JA. So I got involved with broadcasting by supplying Caribbean records to the offshore non-BBC Radio London, a pirate-ship operation. This was the first airplay that Caribbean music had in the British Isles."
He also deejayed in area clubs and volunteered to meet incoming trains at Waterloo Station bringing arriving Jamaican immigrants and helped them get settled. "They were lost," he says, "masses of people in a foreign land."
After 12 years in Britain, he pulled his money from his bank account in 1972 and decided to visit his sister in the United States. Eventually, Philadelphia became his new home. In 1974, he met a radio personality who recognised Lloyd's exceptional communication skills and saw that he got a break in radio with his own show. He's been going strong since.
Cummings, with his strong Jamaican pride, has a deep connection to people's vibrations and the troubles and joys of the world. "It's the One Love philosophy of Bob Marley," he says, "one of my heroes. I want to help."
For example, he initiated several radio marathons to raise money, collect food and clothing for flood and hurricane victims in Jamaica. He personally financed and founded a soccer team and league for West Indies youths which gave them the game they loved and brought sports honors. He called for his audience to donate money and fitness equipment to Jamaican runners in Jamaica so they could better train for the world-famous Penn Relay races in Philadelphia. Because of his pleas, a wealthy local man stepped up to the request and gave sports equipment which was donated to Vere Technical High School.
On his show he will initiate discussions with experts such as lawyers who specialize in current immigration laws.
The radio personality travels several times each year to the Cedar Valley home he grew up in amongst the coffee-laden areas of the Blue Mountains. His family used to farm the mountainside. "I love to sit on my porch, walk to the river, and pick mangos from nearby trees." He remembers "I used to listen to Kingston radio from here, where I picked up tips on how to be a broadcaster. It's been rewarding talking to a wide range of Jamaican professionals, professors, authors, poets, visiting firemen, or music greats like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Freddie McGregor, Mutabaruka, Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt."
Marley's uncle, Gibson Malcolm, lives near Philadelphia in Wilmington, Delaware, where Marley lived for a while, and Cummings visits him occasionally. He says that Malcolm "feels the friendly ghost" of Bob Marley in the home - Bob had spent some time.
"The world of Caribbean music brings joy. I need music to inspire me and nourish my soul. I get restless if I don't hear music regularly. I even subscribe to satellite radio which brings me reggae music 24/7".
The veteran radio host believes in "simple basic good values". When he says that, the smile broadens and the eyes crinkle and the voice inflection rises enthusiastically because his interest is perking up.
"My radio show is a family-friendly talk and music programme with upbeat vibrations. We like to focus on current events, local and Caribbean problems and hash over solutions. I don't play offensive dance hall songs, but meaningful conscious pieces or danceable tunes, and I emphasize love, kindness and peace, like the Rastas. I believe we should teach the children the culture and roots of our JA heritage like the Luciano tune called 'The Messenger' which is my opening on air theme."
Lloyd Cummings' show is beamed Saturdays from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 900 AM, WURD. The internet address is www.900AMWURD.com.
