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 Since the international release of Leaning and now Closer, Gardner has been propelled to the center of urban Gospel, island-style, as one of the most innovative producers and sought-after artists out there. His ability to change styles and merge genres has garnered him a slew of  awards and accolades. With a new album entitled Who I Am on the way and an international tour schedule that would worry any Air Miles company executive, Gardner has been extremely busy.He took time out before performing on stage with artists such as Stitchie and Carlene Davis in Toronto to speak with Gospelflava.com about his new album, his 20 years (!!!) in music ministry and what people can expect from him in the near future. Gospelflava.com: You started singing at the age of five! Tell us a little bit about how you got started in music and ministry. Sherwin Gardner: I'm from a musical family. I was found by my uncle, Kennedy Petterson, who they say was one of the most popular artists in Trinidad in his time. He used to perform a lot of concerts and he started to take me around with him, and then I began to become more popular in ministry. I started traveling at the age of sixteen, and then when I was 21 I got my own studio, so I did all my own recordings and started own label, called FlowMasters. First we had Monty G and Lion of Judah Sounds from The Bahamas —we still work together, but Trinidad has its individual identity and Bahamas has its own as well. So FlowMasters is Trinidad and Lion of Judah Sounds is Bahamas. So yeah, it's been a while. At first I used to do contemporary worship stuff, and then, probably from 17, I started to do reggae and various styles from Trinidad. It just started to expand. And then later my ministry spread to the whole of the Carribbean. And now my international management is in Europe, UB1 Music. Gospelflava.com: Tell us a little bit about FlowMasters and what's that's all about. Sherwin Gardner: Well I'm the president of FlowMasters, which has an artist roster that includes Tiko, Shiselon, Spiritual Ninja, Jadee and a few other guys that are now coming out. We cover a lot of various styles and patterns, in terms of the different artists having different flavors. Our emphasis is really on young people and helping them understand that they don't have to be into drugs and guns and all these different things to be somebody popular. You can just lift up Jesus and do things God's way, still be as popular as everyone else and have a good life. And at the end of the day, you have salvation and you're going to be able to see His face. That's what we're all about.
Gospelflava.com: So it's more than just a production company. Sherwin Gardner: Yes, we do a lot of ministry on the road. We go to different ghettos and areas in Trinidad spreading the Gospel. The Bible says to }preach and teach to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost." We come from different churches, so we have a lot of pastors who are involved and backing us in prayer and guiding us as to what steps we should take. Gospelflava.com: The 2004 Marlin Awards were recently announced. Congratulations on breaking a record by being nominated 22 times! Sherwin Gardner: Thank you. I won five awards, one for Calypso/Soca Vocal Performance of the Year, for "God Be for Me (featuring Jadee)". Then "Hamalhamdla ... He Died For Me", won two awards, one for Ethnic Recording of the Year and one for Foreign Language Recording of the Year. We received the Reggae Song of the Year award for "I Worship You” and Engineered Recording of the Year for the album Closer. Gospelflava.com: The Engineering honors is an award that is testimony to the fact that you are a much sought after producer. You've worked with a number of people, is there anybody that you would still like to work with in the near future? Sherwin Gardner: Right now I'm doing an album called Praise Unfold, which showcases a lot of the top Caribbean artists vocally. It's a mixture of dancehall, soca and with an international feel of praise and worship. It's a very serious album that I think will reflect the heart and the vocal ability of a lot of artists in the Caribbean.  There are a lot of people that I want to work with , but I think I'm satisfied with the quality of the artists in the Caribbean and I really think we can take it to the next level. So now, I'm just staying focused on the artists I already have connections with in Trinidad, in Jamaica, The Bahamas, Bermuda and all over.A lot of the artists that were nominated and who won awards [at The Marlins] will be a part of the album. So it's something that I've taken to heart because my vision is not just to be singing and holding the mic, but also about production and the musical aspect of our music. A lot of time we have a situation where we have people with good talent but their production can be weak and that keeps them back a whole lot. I sacrifice a whole lot in terms of buying equipment, keeping up to date, going onto the net, calling up a lot of major producers who I have been in contact before and just trying to learn more and more. I'm sure a lot of people can hear the changes in the albums that are coming out. You can hear the improvements and stuff. I've been working hard tioin ensuring that we have the best quality. There are some people that I am working with internationally now, as time will tell people will hear and get to know about it. I just want to let everything unfold. Gospelflava.com: Most people were introduced to you through Leaning, when it was released through Lion of Zion Entertainment. But, actually you had a few others out before that can you tell us a little bit about that? Sherwin Gardner: Yes. I had an album called 100% Sold Out and another called I'd Rather Jesus. I would say these are the raw hardcore songs from Sherwin Gardner. Some people still ask for that but people change, your direction changes and your vision changes. I still listen to some of them sometimes and even on my DVD recording I'll be doing some of the old ones. 100% Sold Out was more of the culture-oriented album. More of real hard-core rootsy kinda songs. I'd Rather Jesus was basically the same, but it had a mixture of soca and everything within there. Right now we're in the process of redoing some of the songs, and re-mastering the album. Right now I'm working with both UB1 Music and Creative Soul Entertainment. You can look out for that soon coming out from either UB1 or Creative Soul.
Sherwin Gardner: The name of the album is Who I Am. It's a different style altogether from all the others, because this year marks 20 years of ministry for me —I have been singing since the age of 5. So the album reflects the majority of the styles I used to do from younger, straight up to who I am right now. So it's really showcasing 20 years of ministry. Gospelflava.com: You recently got married this year as well. Are you finding it difficult to balance being a husband and while doing your ministry? Sherwin Gardner: Not at all, because my wife understands who I am. I think that is the important thing —understanding your partner. And I understand her a lot and she understands me. She is very humble and is a support for me. She is always there in terms of prayer and giving me the time I need. She's always been there to support me and the ministry. We're also in business, because the whole label is a business. So there's a lot of stuff she's into. She's very intelligent, so certain things that I may lack, she's there to give me that strength and comfort. So far, marriage is wonderful. And I really thank GOD that I did it now, because if I didnt, I m'ight have never accomplished the amount of things that I have done this past year, because it's been a great year for me and my ministry. Things are just unfolding and things are just coming out every week and everyday. GOD really knows what HE is doing. I really thank Him that I was wise enough to make the right choice and that she is a wife that is really great, and a really humble person. Gospelflava.com: What can we can expect from Sherwin Gardner in the next little while , I know you said you can't reveal it all, but what can we expect? Sherwin Gardner: Right now, I'm working on a DVD which will be coming out early next year [in 2005]. We're doing a live recording for the album that is coming out. We're doing a conference this year called Who I Am Conference and Convention. We will be doing a number of sessions for young artists from Trinidad and Tobago, teaching them a little more about the music industry and about the Gospel Industry. There will also be a live recording on the DVD, some of the old songs to the new songs, there will be something very creative. A full band of maybe 21 members —brass, violins, the whole range.  We're working really hard at it right now, people can look forward to hearing some great, great music coming out from the other artists and from FlowMasters. Vanessa Briggs' album is coming out soon too. We're just working on all of these people's albums, it's just going to be something that will be really excellent.People can look forward to hearing some great and anointed stuff from Sherwin Gardner and FlowMaster's people. Gospelflava.com: Your ministry is definitely growing and you are involved in many activities. What's your main motivation for what you're doing? Sherwin Gardner: From my birth, my mom had a choice, because the doctors told her that if she chose to keep me (because she was very ill at that time), then I would be born crippled or deformed. They encouraged her to abort me. She said she was making a choice of life over death. And here I am. And from a child, I have always been focused on doing the Father's will and what He wants of me. My motivation is just knowing that my purpose is totally dependant on GOD, because He is the reason I exist. Without my mother making the choice of choosing life over death, and knowing that Christ could work things out for me, then I would have never been here. I'm just here to spread the message and help young people understand. I came from a small village in Trinidad and a lot of people thought that I could not make it in life, and GOD took me all over the world. He can do the same for them, once they just focus and hold onto the Word and hold on to Him. That's what motivates me. Young people that are hearing the music, loving it and saying "Hey, this man [may not be] doing it in Church, but He's doing it for Christ.". And you know, just bringing the Truth of the Kingdom. Gospelflava.com: Now that you're growing on the business side of things, what do you see as holding Gospel reggae back from really moving to the next level?  Sherwin Gardner: My personal view, is that we need to be more of a body. We need to get together and form some kind of body, so that we will be able to have a say out in the larger music community. A lot of artists are doing well, but we're doing well on our own. I think that if we really come together and unite and really make this happen, we could take control of this whole music industry and the world. Because a lot of people, a lot of secular artists even, have been looking up to us. Even back home in Trinidad, a lot of major artists come to my studio and they have a lot of respect for us. If we unite, just like how all the other artists secularly united, I believe we will have a greater impact.And also, we need to educate a lot of the younger artists. We have a lot of younger artists coming out and doing songs, but they have no knowledge about the seriousness of what they are doing and why they are doing it. Again, as we unite as the head of the industry we could really train young people about what they are getting into before they get into it. I think it will really help create a big stir in the world for Gospel reggae. Gospelflava.com: Do you have any advice for some of those up-and-coming artists? Sherwin Gardner: My main advice would be to stay humble, stay focused, if you have a church, a home church, stay with your covering —stay in Church. Continue to love Jesus so that you can grow. Because the Word says once you're humble, the Lord will exalt you. That's what he did for me. I sang in church for years, and sang in many small concerts before I was able to hold the mic and go all over the world to sing. It's all about growing and daily seeking God's face that He will be able to use you in the right time. Gospelflava.com: Sherwin, thank you so much. Sherwin Gardner: Thank you. God bless. Email This To A Friend
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