Sugarshine
By Mandy
Catoe
For The
Lancaster News
Dec 4, 2017
Dec 4, 2017
The Red Rose
City was rocking to smooth reggae last Friday night. More than 40 people
streamed into Chastain’s Studio Lofts on Main Street to hear Lancaster’s own
five-man band, Sugarshine.
The roots
reggae ensemble are lifelong friends and range in age from 27 to 44. The
members have played in various bands together through the years. But this
combination seems a bit magical.
“We knew we
had something special,” said Stuart Parsons, 41, keyboard player.
The diverse
crowd at Chastain’s loft seemed to agree. A glance around the artsy venue
included music lovers of all ages from toddlers to silver-haired seniors. The
newly-formed band has already earned loyal fans who stood near the stage and sang
every word of “Better Days,” the title track to their just-released CD. And the
audience remained through the two-hour set that ended at 11:00 p.m.
The other
members of the band are JR Snipes, drummer; Chase Carpenter, bass guitar;
Justin’e Hatfield, lead singer/acoustic guitar; and Chris Horton, guitar. They
work day jobs and jam at night.
The
eight-song debut album is upbeat offering a message of hope. The laid back
tunes are easy and catchy. A positive vibe runs through each original song
starting with the lyrics of ‘Head Up” which declares to “put all my troubles in
my life behind” and “got my head up, I’m feeling fine living my life one day at
a time.”
True to the
roots reggae genre, the lyrics address real-life issues with an all-inclusive
spirituality.
“Reggae
music is about the struggle of every day life,” Parsons said. “We can all
relate.”
A table next
to the stage was covered with CDs and souvenir Sugarshine t-shirts. The prices
beat Black Friday’s deals with shirts going for $10 and CDs for $5.
Just before
the concert began, Snipes, 44, talked a little about the early success of
“Better Days.” Like every other member
of Sugarshine, he stressed that playing for the home crowd is always special.
Carpenter,
27, the youngest band member said “We are trying to keep it happy. Love and
happiness everywhere. Good vibes. Everyone needs that.”
Sugarshine
has performed at the Benford Brewery, Relay for Life, the Red Rose Festival,
and at The Craft Stand’s St. Patrick’s Day festival.
The show was
free Friday night in a spirit of Thanksgiving and gratitude for their
hometown’s support. Some who attended dropped a few dollars in the tip jar.
Others bought the CD as gifts and stocking stuffers.
To the
delight of many, the too-quiet for too-long Main Street had two live music
events that night. Some people walked back and forth from The Craft Stand to
Chastain’s Loft to enjoy the entertainment.
Lancaster
resident Carrie Steele visited both venues with her middle-school-aged twin
daughters.
“We walked
down to hear music on both ends of the block,” Steele said. “I am very proud to
see that Lancaster has that going on on Main Street. I think it is wonderful.”
Sugarshine’s
joy is contagious. Everyone listening was smiling. The room felt like a home full
of friends.
Hatfield
said the band hopes to inspire.
“Our goal is
to change lives by making people believe in their dreams,” he said. “Whether we
hit it big or stay local, this is our dream.”
Sugarshine’s
history
Sugarshine
formed in 2016 to entertain friends and family at an annual backyard Jamaican
Festival started by Horton and his wife, Lisa, who have made yearly visits to
Jamaica for the last decade. The festival is modeled after the big Jamaican
celebration known as Jerk Fest.
The
collection of spices that give Jamaican cuisine its distinctive kick is called “Jerk
seasoning” and includes thyme, peppers, cinnamon, ginger, garlic and nutmeg.
“This is the eighth or ninth year for the backyard party,” Horton
said. “If it keeps growing, we may bump it up and do a huge food and music
festival.”
Parsons talked
about how the original songs came easily when the guys began to practice for
Horton’s jerk fest.
“Every time we would get together, two or three
new songs would emerge until by the time Jerk Fest came around, we had 2 sets
of original music,” he said.
Horton said the songs just kept coming.
“All it was
supposed to be was a little band for the backyard jerk fest,” he said. “We
started rehearsing for that and ended up writing more songs. We were like we
can't let this go, we got to keep this going. And now we are into it a year and
a half and it is going great.”
Horton
looked around at the fans streaming in prior to the concert and said they hope
to move on up to the next level and tour the region.
Then with a laugh he said, “And see if these
old men can still do it - our last hurrah.”
The 18-month-old band gets its name from a fun
memory according to Hatfield, 30. Years back someone had told them about some
moonshine called Sugarshine.
“We bounced around some ideas and remembered
that,” Hatfield said. “It was a little different and we loved it.”
Their songs pay homage to their roots,
struggles and dreams. In a world that often feels divided, Sugarshine reminds
us that we are one.
The Songs
‘Back to
the Show’ captures the bond the musicians feel for each other. “Catching a vibe
with my brothers, got the rhythm to make you move your feet.”
‘Be Alright’ declares that “without dreams there
is no point to life and we have found our place on the well-lit stage.”
In ‘Roots,’ the following lyrics, ‘I will
follow the light back home. No matter how dark. No matter how cold.’
After the show, a smiling Hatfield said, “When
we get together, we become one. One sound, one band, one love.”
The band invites fans to visit their website www.sugarshinemusic.com and follow
them on Facebook where they often give CDs away.
“We plan on donating instruments and our time to the Lancaster
County School District and music teachers to start a wave in our youth to
learn,” said lead singer Justin’e Hatfield.
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