By Teino Evans, Staff ReporterHE HAD his major breakthrough in 1987, when he won the Jamaican Youth for Christ Discovery Competition as best male vocalist.
From there, Robert Bailey went on to join the Life Singers and Life Productions Limited in 1988, where he met Jenieve Hibbert, whom he married five years later.
The two became inseparable and during his three-year stint with the Life Singers, Bailey toured much of the Caribbean and the United States, performing both as an individual artiste and part of the group.
In 1989, Robert and Jenieve were both nominated for male and female vocalists of the year respectively, by the Jamaica Music Industry (JAMI) Foundation.
Eventually, Robert and Jenieve would leave the confines of Life Productions and in 1990 they ventured out on their own, seeking to expand their own personal interests and talents.
It is often said that behind every good man is a strong woman, who is always there to support and bring out the best in him. According to Robert, "my wife is a true woman of God and she helps keep me in line; she is an inspiration to me".
Over the period 1991 - 1993 Robert won best male gospel vocalist every year and, similarly, Jenieve won best female vocalist for two consecutive years (1991 and 1992).
It was not only their professional career that would be lifted to new heights, but in 1993, while the two were on tour, the long friendship blossomed into a marriage union, which has produced two children.
Now, Robert and Jenieve have established their own record label, called R&J Ministries, and in 1998 they released their first album, entitled Let Everybody Know. The album did well both on the local and international market and the two quickly followed up with Even Me.
EARLY DAYS
Robert says launching out on their own wasn't that difficult, as they had already established some important links while with the Life Singers. "We also got a lot of help from Tony Young, who produced a number of shows on the then JBC TV, and others like the Humming Birds, Sam Wisdom and David Keane helped to promote our talent," he said.
The journey so far has been a wonderful experience, Robert says, and despite some difficult times he has learnt how to step in faith. "We had to learn how to live in faith and especially when you don't have a nine to five job you really have to live by faith. No matter how downtrodden we may feel at times, there are always the good times," he said.
Looking back to that first Youth for Christ competition that he won, Robert says he has grown and matured tremendously since.
"I've grown so much more. Back then, I was only dubbed as having a soothing voice, but now I am utilising so many other singing techniques. I listen and read more and through different vocal tapes I self-trained myself. I have since trained choirs, quartets and produced the JCDC cultural song contest for the past three years," he said.
The full-time gospel music ministers of Robert and Jenieve Bailey have continued to do well in spreading the word of God all over and the two have made their mark on the map.
Robert and Jenieve have opened concerts for international gospel acts such as Shirley Caesar, Alvin Slaughter, Ron Kenoly, Kurt Carr Singers, Heritage Singers and Wintley Phipps.
Next on the agenda for Robert will be a feature performance on Father's Day weekend, when he will be performing at the 'Men in Praise' concert to be held on Saturday, June 19, 2004, at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre on Hope Road in St. Andrew.
