Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

Roy Rayon in fine festival song style. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Although a common saying, the phrase 'give thanks and praises' still brings the now four-time Festival Song Competition winner, Roy Rayon, to mind. And while some people disagree with his latest win last weekend, he is still happy.

"I entered the competition with nine other people hoping to win, so I am elated," says Rayon, who previously won the competition in 1985 with Love Fever, in 1987 with Give Thanks and Praises and in 1992 with Come Rock.

For this year's winner, Rise and Shine, he walked away with a million dollars as well as $300,000 for being the Best Performer, a cellphone courtesy of Digicel and a $25,000 gift certificate from Cooyah.

'Buck up'

He won ahead of The Astronauts with Banjo Man, Lynford McIntosh's Country Life , Sweet Jamaica by D.J. Speng, We Need Love by Versatile, Jamaica Little But We Tallawah by Clevon Edwards, Festival Time Again by the duo Danny Brasko and Iya Simba, Nah Lef Jamaica by Zetto and My Jamaica by Monty Montgomery.

While he is delighted about the win, Rayon says his entry was a mere 'buck up', as he was heading to the studio to record another song called Keep Cool. While on his way he called the engineer, who told him that the studio was occupied as another man was recording a song for the Festival Song Competition.

"Immediately as he said that the antennas in my head went up and I saw parades, floats and people marching in the streets. That's how I came up with the line 'the massive a come down'. By the time I got there the foundation was already set. So it took us a little while to get it together," Rayon tells The Sunday Gleaner.

Confident

He says the song is fun, has a party vibe and the message is clear. In addition, it has all the ingredients of a good song - simple music, lyrics and melody. He says it is 'danceable', so it fulfils the other requirement of the competition.

Rayon was not the only 'old-timer' to enter this year's competition, as The Astronauts are also many-time winners.

However, on the night of the competition some patrons were disgruntled with Rayon's win and voiced their disapproval openly, saying "this is rubbish!" and "Countryman shoulda win!", in reference to the entry by Lynford McIntosh of St James.

But Rayon says he is not affected, as people are allowed to voice their opinion.

"When I entered the competition amongst people like Toots Hibbert I felt I had as much chance as anybody. I entered in 1984 with Eric Donaldson and he beat me and I beat him in 1985. In all competitions people will have their favourites that don't win," he says.

He adds: "I can't feel any way, 'cause that's people's right. It comes with the territory, 'cause it's a competition and you must expect that. When people behave like that it makes other people listen to you more. Sometimes they do themselves more harm than good, 'cause they put you more into the public domain."

He says there might have been one person in the crowd, whom he knows, who was causing most of the disruption.

Best performer

Nonetheless, he says he is not surprised about getting the Best Performer title this year, as he won it in 1984 as well as his previous victories.

Roy Rayon further explains that he was not at an advantage because he had to go to different towns where he performed and promoted himself ahead of the deadline for the public voting.

Now that the 2008 Festival Song Competition is over, Rayon says he he has his sights set on making more music to add to his catalogue of singles and albums. He says he will also be doing charity work as a member of the Optimist Club of Harbour View.