Gray Patch puts pep in his steps

Gray Patch does not think it is too late to kick it with the youngsters.

"I've been told by some of my peers in this very industry that I should leave this to the young people," he told THE WEEKEND STAR.

"We have to do everything with a likkle style, you know?" he laughed as he entered The Gleaner's North Street offices this week.

Patch, whose given name is Ricardo Gibbs, arrived decked out in a bright shirt, a colourful scarf and stylish large rimmed sunglasses, an obvious display of his ever-lasting youth.

"I will say to them that age is just a number. And Gray Patch has a desire to please God," he said.

However, the gospel artiste, who is from the Olympic Gardens community in Kingston, refused to disclose his age.

Patch spent most of his career supporting other artistes from behind the scenes. Now, he believes he has gathered enough experience and has practised his vocals enough to break on to the music scene with his own material.

UPHILL BATTLE

It's been an uphill battle for Patch. At the age of 13, he knocked on death's door after contracting rheumatic fever and being diagnosed with a prolapsed metro-valve, causing his heart to beat slower than it should.

"In the same year, I fell off a precipice and broke my hand, my foot, and my jaw," he said.

After recovering from all these ailments, Patch decided to teach himself how to play the seven piece trap set. He ended up playing in the church for 18 years. He even tried his hands at songwriting in his earlier years. Patch said he even sent recordings to radio stations with the hope of getting airplay, but did not get even a response for nine years.

"They say I'm too old to be doing this sort of thing," he told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Gray Patch refuses to reveal the names of those who seek to squash his dream, but says he is motivated by the naysayers. He intends to prove them wrong with the pending release of his first album Victorious.

Patch promises a fun, modern approach to gospel music. He boasted to THE WEEKEND STAR the high quality of his first music video Pep Inna My Step, which had its launch event on Wednesday, at Tracks and Records Sports Bar.

"I know that my ministry must mean something to somebody, so I don't plan to stop any time soon," Patch told THE WEEKEND STAR. "What inspires me too, is Aretha Franklin. She's 78 this year, and still doing her thing."