Anyone who followed music in the late 70s and early 80s could not ignore Garland Jeffreys. In 1980 he topped the BRT Top 30 for three weeks with his European hit 'Matador'. In his rock songs he mixes reggae and blues with great flexibility. He owes this to the musical mix that peppered his life: he grew up with Duke Ellington, Nat 'King' Cole, Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, his uncle who was an opera singer and his great idol Frankie Lymon. He later shared stages with Fred Neil, Tim Hardin and Bob Dylan. Lou Reed and Bruce Springsteen are personal friends and he is crazy about Elvis Costello, The Clash and Graham Parker. This forgotten hero of the rock world has white, black and Puerto Rican roots and lived in a multicultural neighborhood. In his autobiographical lyrics he openly denounces racism, but because of the hope and optimism that the music and Jeffreys' voice radiate, the songs never sound bitter. He became a role model for African-American musicians who did not want to limit themselves to R&B, and a cult figure for his audience. A new album “I'm Alive”, a collection of his most notable contributions to rock & roll history, will be released on April 27. He only visits Belgium once on his promotional tour. An opportunity to grab firmly with both hands! For Garland Jeffreys, the Handelsbeurs stage will be a one-way trip to his former star status.
