Abadou has released several albums of which 'Come Together' is his latest. It was recorded at 'The Wailin' Trailer studios' and Red Lion Studios. The cover art was provided by Gerri George. Abadou is well known for the album 'Immigration Chase' released first in St Maartin. He has composed well over a hundred songs of which 50 or so have been released to the public. He has a few special ones waiting to be released at a future date. He has traveled and performed in Martinique, St Ba arts, Dominica, Guadeloupe, St Martin,( both Dutch and French sides) and is currently performing in the USA.
Abadou was born as Antoine George in the village of Thibaud (pronounced Ti-Bo) on the island of Dominica. This is where, at the age of eight, Abadou fashioned a guitar made from boards, fishing twine and two empty tins of sardines. He tuned it to the tune of 'Do, Re, Me' and used it for the next three to four years. When one wore out he would construct another.
At about the age of ten Abadou wrote his first song. It was about a red hen that he had pestered a lot, throwing stones at her. She had a batch of babies at the time and he passed her on a rainy day. She flew on him and he fell into the ditch, feathers flying and she giving him a what for. After his friends got a good laugh, Abadou went home and composed his first song ' Red Hen fly on Avon'.
At the age of fifteen he went to Roseau to work in a factory; assembling furniture during the day and playing guitar at night. It was there he got to experience playing a real 'box' guitar. He found it very easy to play as he" didn’t have to press his fingers down so hard" to obtain a note as on his home-made guitars. His family and friends teased him a lot; saying he was calling rats or bringing rain by his playing. Of course it was all in good fun, but there was one person who always encouraged Abadou. It was the father of his best friend Lazarus. He would always tell him" Bravo, little Gil, one day you'll make it." (Abadou's father being big Gil). "I will always remember him for that".
He was raised as a catholic from a child but was given some freedom to try out other faiths. He was baptized as a Pentecostal at age fourteen but stopped going to meeting after three days. He felt too pressured so it didn't feel comfortable for him. He was looking for God however, and the right spiritual path. When he was eighteen he started to talk to a Rasta about Selassi. At about the same time a seven year old boldly told him to "Put your locks, bald-head". He felt it was a message from God and so immediately began putting his locks the very next day. He has had his locks ever since.
He began to study black history also in his twenties. He read about Bob Marley, Martin Luther King and Hail Selassi. All of these studies influenced his music. By the time he reached twenty-two, Abadou had put together his first band called 'The Earthquakes' and was playing gigs in Roseau. His first gig was on beach day on August Monday. He was playing lead guitar and he was so nervous, his hands were sweaty and his fingers kept slipping on the strings. Some of the guys in the crowd were saying 'This guy don't know how to play'. Finally by the third song he got a hold of himself and played like he was at practice. Then things went all right.
Within a year he traveled to Guadalupe by himself. He played with 'Super Jazz', doing vocals, 2nd guitar and sometimes lead. This lasted about four years. Then, at age twenty-five, he traveled to Martinique to explore and to look for Reggae work. He began to work with 'Zion Train Imperial', a reggae band. He played concerts, doing lead guitar and vocal for six years in Martinique. After this time he left Martinique. He currently resides in the 'North country' where he loves the beauty of the snow in winter. He loves music and to spread the message of Rastafari. He has a love for humanity, all of creation and most of all, love for JAH.
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