July 2, 2007 -- Vernon Pickering is best know as the editor of the venerable British Virgin Islands newspaper The Island Sun, but the Tortola native has another life as a singer. Indeed, he has just released his latest CD, The Eyes of Love.
It's a collection of timeless songs. Some he has sung for years, others are new to him. Pickering has also come out with a single, "Mambo Orgasmo," in three versions: reggae, salsa and traditional.
Both recordings are available at stores across Tortola, as well as for download on iTunes, Napster and other Internet music sites. The album is not yet available in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but will soon be on amazon.com.
Pickering has a big following in Europe, where his disco version of "You Forever" was a big hit. "I'm better known over there," he said.
The singer, who studied at the Joffrey Ballet, has performed on Broadway and London's West End in a number of productions. They include "Show Boat," "Hair" and "Jesus Christ Superstar." He also played in "Hello Dolly" with Pearl Bailey, and has appeared in several films, he said.
The multi-talented Picking has also written two books: Early History of the British Virgin Islands -- from Columbus to Emancipation and Concise History of the British Virgin Islands -- from the Amerindians to 1986.
As a child, Pickering said, he left Tortola to live with his grandmother in New York because he had an interest in ballet. After dancing professionally, he developed an interest in theater and music because it was hard to find ballet roles for black men. From that point, his musical career took off.
"I got an agent and began to work in clubs," he said.
His work took him to London, Amsterdam and Italy, where his recordings were often heard on the radio. Political unrest in Europe sent him back to Tortola in the mid-1980s. While he's had his musical career on the back burner since then, he said he felt like giving it another try.
He recorded The Eyes of Love in Milan, Italy. Soon he will head to Europe to promote the Warner Brothers-released CD, Pickering said.
Visit Pickering's website at vernonstyle.com.
Back Talk Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.