Michael “Red Man” Thomas – The man who makes the song cry

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

It seemed that whatever he endeavoured in life, in order to be the best at it, he made sure he had the right mind-set.  For our Classic Man, it was not enough just to observe; he did not just sit back and watch someone and expect to learn through osmosis. No, his mind-set, and his belief system, that is what has separated Michael “Red Man” Thomas from everyone else.

What did he do? How did he manage to reach the level of success that he has? He conditioned the strength and the psychology within himself every day. That is what all great people do. Whether you are a professional athlete, a starving artist, or a tenacious thespian, in order to be your best, you have to not only work on your talent, but on your mind.

Michael Thomas is one of the Toronto Caribbean Newspapers most esteemed journalists, and from the day that I met him I saw a mind that recognized exactly how to maximize his potential, to maximize his talent, and it was due time to learn more about what has made Michael Thomas the legend that he is.

He was born in the Capital of Grenada, a little village known as Cherry Hill. Life was nice, and even though his family was considered poor by the standards of money, Michael went ahead and quoted the great Robert Nesta Marley, “Some people are so poor; all they have is money.”

“I didn’t know I was poor because I was provided for.  I enjoyed picking mango, and sugar apples. I had a ball growing up. We were right along the seashore, so we were gifted with the sound of the sea.

I was a very attentive student. When they sent you to school, it was mandatory that you learned. Your report card came with your conduct for the year, and the beating would have started if that part were not good. It was nice growing up, in a time that our young people would call old fashioned.”

His great mind was discovered at an early age. For him, school was easy.

“I skipped from standard one to standard three, and from standard three to standard five. I was a very determined student. I always wanted to prove my point to myself. I could do anything and do it well. For me, it was important that I made my mother proud.

I finished standard seven, and after that I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I was 15 years old at the time. I started selling fish, and I did very well. To me, I was seriously employed. Once it was about the money, I was there. Life was a struggle, but it was still nice. The cost of living was nice. Having $20.00 at that time was money. By the time I was 17, I had a bank account, and a fixed deposit.”

Something happened in Michael’s life that shifted the course of it forever.

“The musical shift happened at around 21, or 22 years of age. I always loved music. I went to a Pentecostal church that had a full band and singers. The music captivated me and kept me in the church.

Reggae was our thing too, and the deejay’s used to play it. They would put on the instrumental, and the toasters would do their thing. When I first took the microphone people gravitated to me, and at 23, 24 years of age, I became a deejay. I started to get recognition from the selectors on the island. When you are that young, and you have the crowd gravitating to you, it becomes addictive.

I became the master of ceremony at the Calypso tent, but before I said yes, I told them that they would have to make me sing calypso. They agreed. I touched both genres before I left Granada. I was on stage day and night, but I had a lot of energy and a lot of fire. People have always received me well, and this is part of my blessing.

I had to also learn all other genres of music, and the ball kept on rolling. I figured I had done what I had to do on the island, so let me see what I could do in another part of the world.”

Michael did this for about five years, and then he left Granada at the age of 27.

“I came to Toronto, and this is when I saw that Canada was not what people had painted. When I landed, I started as a busboy, and did that for about a year. That didn’t work out.

I will never forget when someone suggested that I start something of my own, and at that time people were always looking to have their windows cleaned. The individual bought me a bucket, a squeegee, and everything I needed to clean windows. ‘Now you go down the street and ask everyone if they need their windows cleaned. Make sure you tell them that next week you are coming back.’ So, I did that, and the rest is history. I was known as the window man.”

Yes, Michael had to make money to put food on the table, but the music never stopped.

“I would pay my rent, and then I would spend the rest of my money on my music. I ended up entering competitions and as you would have it, people loved me here too. It only took a year. “Colour Kill” was my first song. I was seeing Black men getting shot, and the judges saw it for what it was and picked me. There was a lot of politics, so I didn’t win, but the audience loved me. They gravitate to me. I got the name “Red Man” because of my skin.

I performed from 1990 – 2000. I rested until 2007 and returned in 2008 and captured the people’s choice with a song called “Two Carnival.” People went wild because of the realness of the music. I won the Calypso Monarch in 2009. I came second when I defended the Monarch.  In 2013 I took a rest. I was financing my music like a bad girlfriend, and it was time to stop.”

He teamed up with Rocky Fasaud, and they decided to take the people back in time with older songs.

“I decided to start singing ballards. We partnered on one of Dolly Parton’s songs and worked on about 15 oldies. The feedback from the older demographic was that they loved it. I put emotion into it; you have to make the song cry. It has been a great response.”

“How did you get into journalism Michael?” I queried. “It seems such a far cry from what you truly love to do.”

“60 minutes was always one of my favourite programs. I listened keenly to the stories, and I loved it. I told myself that I wanted to get a high school diploma here, so I went to Yorkdale Adult School. I got 21 credits in a couple of months, so after I went into journalism at Humber College, that is when I met you at Toronto Caribbean Newspaper.”

I love that Michael has continued to reinvent himself, and I am proud that I have the opportunity to work with such a great mind.