One of the most unique voices in Dominica’s music and the Caribbean by extension was born and raised on the nature isle. He is a self-taught guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer.
RUFF & REDDY
“The man with the Golden Voice” as he was first called, led and fronted for over ten years one of Dominica’s musical bands – the Ruff & Reddy band. The band recorded some of the Caribbean’s finest tunes and released one of the hottest records in the Eastern Caribbean, the Ruff & Reddy Sunshine Christmas album of 1999, one of six of the band’s recorded albums. The band is known in Dominica and the French West Indies for its hit song Roll and Shake and its version of Amio, one of the biggest hits coming out of Africa in the eighties originally sung by Babe Manga from the African Continent.
RECORDING
The singer/songwriter has also composed and recorded some of Dominica’s most inspirational songs like his infectious “Just Be”. His first solo album included hits like I “Am Yours” and “Flex It”. The Ruff & Reddy band recorded six albums all of which Daryl composed, authored and co-arranged. Among his strong points that truly make him a unique talent in the Caribbean is the texture of his voice, his mastery of his singing and his multi-lingual ability. Daryl’s primary language is English but has recorded songs in French, Spanish and French-Creole. He is a high-energy performer who is very good at capturing hearts with his ability to transfer emotion to his audience.
CALYPSO CAREER
In 2001 Daryl entered the Calypso arena as The Bobb and has since been a finalist for eight out of the last twelve years being in the arena. The Bobb took two years off from the competition in 2008 and 2009 in protest of the treatment received by the judges who frequently placed other Calypsonians who made mistakes in their lyrics before him after delivering flawless presentations of his songs on stage. In 2006 he was not selected at the Semi-Finals to go to the Finals and in 2011 he repeated his last verse as a fourth verse and was penalized. This year Daryl prepares to present his best combination of songs since entering the competition in 2001 according to the singer.
EDUCATION
Daryl is a graduate of the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Trinidad where he was trained in the business of music and events management who graduated with a postgraduate diploma in Arts and Cultural Enterprise Management. Daryl recently returned to his homeland from a Cultural Industries Study Tour to England, Germany and France with the hope of finding opportunities for Dominican artists and bands to record and perform in Europe. The tour was sponsored by Caribbean Export Development Agency and other affiliated international donor agencies.
BUSINESS
Prior to his studies, Daryl registered a private limited entity in the Commonwealth of Dominica to manage his career and to conduct other businesses primarily in the services sector. His company is called Seventh Silver Star Inc and is the parent company of a list of other services that the artist is developing on the island. He is currently working to expand the business with a number of creative ideas that are suitable for the Dominican and Eastern Caribbean markets.
Aside from Seventh Silver Star Inc is Neo-Xpression, a new entity that Daryl is part owner of that provides services in Graphic Designing, Photography, Website Development and Hosting, Branding and Film.
INSPIRATIONS
Mr. Bobb is very passionate about quality singing. He is moved by spirited and breathtaking performances by instrumentalists and singers who make proper use of the vocal cords. Daryl believes that with effort and determination in one’s endeavors, the human being can achieve anything he sets his mind to.
Daryl is motivated by the showmanship and overall quality of product of a number of male and female international artists like Lionel Richie, George Benson, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Air Supply, The Bee Gees, Earth Wind and Fire, Cool and the Gang, Smokey Robinson, Celine Dion and Michael Jackson – Mr. Bobb grow up listening to these artists and so, carries a little of each of them in his professional character.
LIFE’S MOTTO
Daryl’s motto is “Working With The Heart” and in the artist’s own words he explains, “One should work towards his or her aspirations with deepest fervor for there is only one way that the human being can achieve that and that is if the Heart is intimately involved in the process.” – Daryl Bobb
Amio oooooooh
What separates the best calypsonians from the rest is that they are musicians.
I have appreciated most of his songs … he does sing them from the heart.
In the carribbean ?
Love the Bob, and love his song Find a Way, give me the shivers every time. All the best Bob, God Bless you.
Keep reaching for the sky. One Day you will be highly recognised.
A good Dominican , a role model for young people. Keep doing what you do Donny. You are confident and assertive and many of our people just can’t handle a confident person.
Best of Luck to you comrade!!!
I heard Mr. Bobb sing Man in the Mirror at a Michael Jackson memorial event at the cove soon after Jackson passed away. At the time there were many artists on tv doing Michael’s songs as memorial. Daryl Bobb’s rendition was the best I’ve heard anyone, ever do Michael. What I also admire about this artist is how he brings in on the night of the finals. He will really give the audience his best rendition and presentation. The year he sang Fugitive and Jammin it I thought he should have won. Kudos to you Bobb.
DNO, tell me, is he the only one in the finals or is he self promoting himself
There’s nobody else he can self-promote smh
daddy chess and his wife had the most interview time on radio this season and nobody complained. For that matter its the duty of every artiste or musician to self promote. according to Norman Letang Charity begins at home. If the other musicians want lay back and expect people to push them, well ‘dapway ‘dem.
so what is your point i am proud of him
That is one Calypsonian that I have admired in terms of talent and performance on stage. Wishing you all the best Bobb. NO MAN, can define who you are cause you have proven yourself by your works and by your perseverance. This year you have produced my favourite song “Find a way”. And I bid you farewell as you find your way to the top!
great job my brothe wish you all the best in the future,you need to start thinking of expanding your career to jamaica and trinidad if you want to make it international.
This man has a golden voice,but every year is by the way side they put him if he was a trini we would pay thousands to bring him to da but he is our own so we cant see,guess he like our nose to close to our eyes.
you are so right
His voice is too good for Calypso.
This man sure has the talent, drive and ability to make it real big in the real world. Its a pity that the Dominica scenario sometime serves as a delimiter to progress in this entertainment field.
Brilliant!!!!! Dominicans just don’t know what good talent they have.
Idk about y’all but that man is not only MY king but the PEOPLE’S King too!!
I’m surprised the article didn’t reference the rigging of the competition in 2010 when The People’s King had the crown with his flawless renditions of (Fugitives) Send Them Home and Let The People Talk and still they gave it to the guy up north after Bobb came 1st Runner Up. Smh
This year will be no exception to his performances! Everyone loves to hate De Bobb but his record speaks for itself and don’t be surprised if this year he finally makes it to the top because he can indeed beat both Dice and Karessah.
One of my favorite songs of his is ‘Something Is Wrong’ and something will definitely be wrong if he doesn’t find favor with the judges. Big up Bobb!!
Which people? What is the criteria for “people’s king?” You really “dont know about y’all” so speak for yourself.
Good luck Bobb.
the people’s king is the person the majority of the crowd thinks should be the king that night and is ultimately loved by the majority of people. All surveys by the radio stations carrying the show indicated that much that night that Bobb was indeed the winner
Bob you are geat, keep on performing. A class act all around.
proper
best of luck to you my brother…. gero