Today we’d like to introduce you to Debra ‘Sista Dee’ Sarjeant.
Debra, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started in the Music business at the age of 10 when I did my first professional performance with my father’s band Real Steel, we toured extensively playing all over, it was a great experience and taught me so much musically, I played with the band until my mid-teens at the same time learning other instruments like clarinet, keys, bass guitar at Madison park high school Roland Hayes division of music, I realized I loved to produce ,arrange and write music and had a good knack for it, I was married at the age of 18 and at 23 became a widow with 3 children! I struggled for some time but always had my music, I put together my own studio and produced music for local artists, did local commercials for radio etc… I also worked as a producer for warren street recordings and at the same time arranged music for Hartford steel symphony having great success and winning several competitions, I then started my own reggae band called mystic connections that lasted for a couple of years and when it dissolved I started working with various groups free lancing this is where I met my future husband and business partner Marcus ‘Rangotan’ smith and in 2002 started Dis n Dat band
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been easy, as a woman in the industry being the band leader, manager I had to be a little more tough than my male counterparts, I had to prove myself, as a band it has been a struggle finding loyal members, and just getting people with like minds and the same goals and vibes
Please tell us about Dis n Dat Band.
We specialize in authentic Caribbean music, at all types of events, we also do lectures and seminars for schools and other programs, teach promote events, what sets us apart is that we strive to be different, in our musical style and sound, sometimes we see bands maybe 6 bands with all the same members we try to be different, sound different and put our own twist and feel in everything we do, musically we are the only reggae band in the area with a female front person singing playing steel drums and keyboards, we are family and the core members are actually from the Caribbean
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
When I was on the radio show ‘Auntie Kay’ in Trinidad at the age of 4.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.disndatband.com
- Phone: 8572341382
- Email: disndatband@gmail.com
- Instagram: @disndatband
- Facebook: facebook.com/disndatband
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
