Jamaican singer says drugs and bad relationships ‘mash up’ his life

Fifty-one-year-old Wayne Palmer is desperately hoping to make a breakthrough in life.

Once a rising entertainer in Jamaica, Palmer has fallen on hard times to the point where he has considered suicide.

The Maxfield Avenue, St Andrew resident says the only thing that keeps him from giving up are the fond memories of years past, when he was a budding singer.

“I used to travel in and out of Jamaica at will; I literally had fans eating out of my hand,” recalled Palmer, who scored mainstream success in the 1980s with songs such as the King Tubby-produced ‘Hell In A Town’ and ‘Suzie’ on the Firehouse label.

A shadow of his former self, Palmer now spends most of his days at the Kingston waterfront begging for food to survive.

“Things get so rough with me that is just the mercy of God keeping me alive,” Palmer, raggedly dressed and forced to walk with a make shift cane, told Loop News.

He said, despite his many challenges, he was however trying to stay strong.

As he spoke, he paused for a few seconds to get his thoughts together. It was also evident that he was fighting hard not to show emotions as the conversation about his past brought back memories.

His attempt to sing a high note failed as his voice cracked but he didn’t appear to care. It is evident that he has been away from a studio for some time.

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me,” he sang out aloud.

Then, with his arms outstretched, Palmer shouted out a question into the open air: “When God, when will it be my time again?”

It drew the attention of several passers-by, many of whom just looked at Palmer and shook their head in a dismissive manner. Palmer, however, did not seem perturbed by the harsh reactions.

“I have really made some bad mistakes in my life and me feel this is part of my beating,” Palmer confessed.

“From the wrong decisions in my past relationships with women,” he added, “……to resorting to drugs at one point; my life really mash up but me nah give up.”

The singer said, following his setbacks, many of his closest friends left him by the wayside.

“Right now, my father can’t bear to see me because he says is like me waste my life; my three children in foreign have given up on me because of the drug problem; but that addiction is no more,” said Palmer.

He said that despite of the many obstacles, he remains confident that God will help to lift him and allow him to rise up like the proverbial Phoenix from the ashes.

“I do not believe that God is finished with me yet, I believe He has more in store for me; he is going to make me rise again,” said Palmer who claimed he was hoping to make another breakthrough in the music business.

But at the age of 51, Palmer said he was not trying to fool himself as he knows the music industry has changed significantly.

“Me know things change up, but me would love to start make back some songs and get to perform in markets that appreciate vintage reggae,” Palmer told Loop News.

“Me know me nah go make it back big like I use to be but I just want reach to a point where me can provide for myself,” he said.