Eighteen-year-old Jermaine Kendall has been playing the guitar professionally for almost four years, after first starting with the instrument at age 12. He has played at numerous events, big and small, and just recently at the sashing ceremony for the Miss Culture Guyana contestants as accompaniment to reigning queen Romichelle Brummel when she sang “Titanium”.
“My grandfather, Oscar Kendall, is a pianist and at least two of his brothers are musicians; one plays the saxophone and the other, the guitar,” Jermaine shared. He grew up in a family of musicians, in particular his father’s side, although he laughed saying that somehow his grandfather never got around to teaching his father and his uncles to play any instruments. His grandfather had tried teaching him to play when he was five but he could never sit still long enough to learn.
He first attended West Ruimveldt Primary then Success Elementary where he was part of the school choir led by teacher Wilfred Success. Though he sang for years in the choir, he prefers to play instruments. After the National Grade Six Assessment he secured a place at Queen’s College and made friends who were playing instruments; they were his influence in joining Music Unlimited School which is run by the Sobers brothers – Christian and Jeremy. With a number of instruments to choose from, Jermaine decided on the guitar since his friends were already learning to play the guitar. He attended classes for four years.