Ruff Kutt Band gives strength to Reggae-Country Album Image

by Contributed / Jul 25, 2014 06:14 pm

Nikki Shannon Fernandez, a Country singer songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee, is making beautiful Reggae music with the Ruff Kutt Band in Jamaica. Originally from Kingston, New York Fernandez’s recent album Kingston to Kingston is a reflection of her musical journey, the album will be available on i-Tunes on Tuesday, July 29.

Kingston to Kingston is a combination of Country, Pop and Reggae genres blended to produce 14 unique tracks fused with soul and diversity. The first single off the album is HIM which was released on Youtube and is available for download at nikkishannonfernandez.com. The album was produced by Ricardo ‘Drummer’ Davis and Donovan ‘Benji’ Belnavis both of the Ruff Kutt Band alongside Nikki Fernandez and Winston ‘Bowpee’ Bowen.

“Nikki had such a good energy that the creative process was wonderful. She did a lot of the creation herself so it was easy to be creative when she came with a lot of melodies and songs. She has an unusual style so the album is a direct reflection of her Latin background fused with a Country-Rock style and her raspy voice really touches the soul. She is a unique talent,” says Donovan ‘Benji’ Belnavis.



Nikki Shannon Fernandez grew up with her two sisters in Kingston, New York where she began playing the piano at four years old. Even though her sisters stopped, her heart was set on music and Nikki continued. Her musical pursuit saw her relocating to Nashville, Tennessee where she began working with the music industry’s silent giants James House writer of Broken Wing and Anything For Love as well as The Troubador Kings; Danny Flowers and James Slater.

The passionate singer songwriter visited Jamaica and spent time in Negril where she met some of the local industry players. Fernandez then returned to the United States, but was invited to come back to Kingston, Jamaica to witness the creative process of Reggae and be introduced to the studio vibe and local writers. This second trip, which began as an educational tour through observation, developed into the album Kingston to Kingston.

“It just happened. They invited me to Kingston to just look at the studios and experience the vibe and music and when I did I just started randomly meeting all the people I am working together with now. Ricardo ‘Drummer’ Davis and Donovan ‘Benji’ Belnavis of Ruff Kutt made the album easy to create because the process of feeling the music and putting the words together was just flawless with them and to create that at the renowned Tuff Gong Studio was another pleasure,” said Fernandez.

Music is Nikki’s first love and Kingston to Kingston is another side of Nikki Fernandez which presents Country, Pop and Reggae in a flowing fusion.

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