Sanchez, Jamaica’s heavy weight crooner

Kevin Anthony Jackson, passionately known in the Reggae world as Sanchez, is not your ordinary singer. Once you listen to his voice, you will be convinced of this. Growing up in the Stony Hill and Waterford areas of Kingston, Sanchez was a staple in his church choir, and that emotional passion always comes through in his tone.

As a musically inclined young man growing up in Jamaica, Jackson worked as a selector for the Rambo Sound System before displaying himself as a professional act in 1987 with the single “Lady in Red,” a cover that revealed his talent for romantic ballads.

This was followed up in 1988 with a track called “Loneliness,” produced by Winston Riley, which propelled the Young Jackson to stardom and led to a standout performance with six encores at that year’s Reggae Sunsplash festival, and, as fate would have it, one of Jamaica’s biggest stars had appeared to stay.

Now in his 47th-musical year, the man known as Sanchez has never stopped or slowed down. With over twenty albums that have touched genres like R&B, Gospel, Reggae, and Dancehall.

Here are some of the hits and accolades that came along with being as charismatic and emotionally soulful as Sanchez, and the best is yet to come. With notable works including Number One (1989), Who Is This Man (1999), Simply Being Me (2000), and Stays on My Mind (2002), the latter two charting on the US Billboard Top Reggae Albums at #14 and #9, respectively.

His discography features enduring hits such as “One in a Million,” “Fall in Love,” “Missing You,” and covers like Tracy Chapman’s “Baby Can I Hold You,” emphasizing themes of love, unity, and social consciousness.

Collaborating with prominent Jamaican producers like King Jammy and Donovan Germain, he has earned critical acclaim as a reggae legend and received honours including a 2004 award from the UK Fan Club and a proclamation from the mayor of Hartford, Connecticut.

Since 2012, Sanchez has transitioned into full-time production, focusing on dancehall and gospel projects while maintaining a charismatic stage presence centered on messages of faith and positivity.

I was most privileged to speak with the legend himself, Kevin Anthony Jackson (aka Sanchez), one of Jamaica’s finest crooners, about his life, times, his voice, and of course, the music.

Who exactly is Sanchez? “I am a born and raised Jamaican, and I am a father, parent, and family man.”

I asked Sanchez where all this passion in his voice and music comes from, “I’m dedicated to this job of mine, I take it very seriously, it is mostly women who come out to see me, so I just go all out for them. It is the way to go.”

“I would not just shortchange the ladies who go all out for me. Sometimes they come with their makeup, their hair, and outfits which can cost over two or three thousand dollars, so I must meet them halfway and show them back that gratitude. That is the reason I do my songs with so much feeling and depth.”

Sanchez knows the spot he holds on the musical equator, and his words emphasize this every time. He said this of his female fans, “It is clear they do not want to lose me, and I don’t want to lose them.” Let that sink in, ladies.

“We are in this for the long haul,” Sanchez said. “I can’t give up my ladies, and I know they won’t give me up.” Talk about chemistry.

I had to ask the boss what his most memorable moment was, “First time on Reggae Sunsplash, I had seven encores. The seventh time, I did not go because my wife and team said this is just too much. We think you should just call it a night. I will never forget that.”

Sanchez has never called it a night from a versatile point of view. I was pleasantly surprised when he pointed out to me that he has done country as well. This man changes gears with the musical genres like a race car driver. He has covered Marty Robbins El Paso, and what a job Sanchez did on that song for VP Records.

For those wanting to know where Sanchez Dapper’s sense of fashion comes from, here is your answer. “To be honest, this is coming from the way I was brought up. I was brought up every Sunday going to church wearing a fine suit, sitting in the choir, and you had to look appropriate; it is all upbringing. Right now, I am one of the artists who is causing some of the other artists who would not even think of wearing a suit to be wearing one right now.”

Sanchez has a policy when it comes to cover songs, “If you’re going to duplicate something, do it well or just leave it alone. The original was already doing fine,” the crooner told me.

The crooner has some concerns about how he is being downplayed in his homeland. Nevertheless, the joke is on Jamaica, not Sanchez. The rest of the world knows a gifted son when they see and hear one. At 61, Sanchez is at peace with life, and you can hear this when speaking to him. He is exceptionally humble, but he knows his worth and what he deserves.

For upcoming talents, Sanchez dropped a few gold nuggets, “You have the stage, the mic, and you do not know where your voice can be next. You could be speaking to the world, so choose your words wisely.  If you are doing music, do it to the best of your ability, go all out, because you have the platform that many people need to have. You are speaking to the world, so do it with diligence and care.”  

I asked Sanchez if there was anything he would do differently. “I would try to write more of my own compositions, but the world is accepting me. It is all about my fans and how I will leave them feeling because I do this for them.”

Sanchez lovers, I hope you were able to be out on Saturday May 2^nd, 2026, when you would have seen Sanchez, Nigy Boy, and Romain Virgo live at 1133 Queen’s Plate Drive, Etobicoke, Ont. I am sure it was the show of a lifetime.