LISTENING IN: Ziggy Marley irie at IPW

Sorry, Diana Ross. You too, Keanu Reeves (who sidelines as a bass player in the band Dogstar when not cracking skulls as John Wick). The star performer at this year’s edition of the US travel trade show IPW, held in Los Angeles this week, was Ziggy Marley.

Past editions of the show have boasted such top-grade talent as Counting Crows, Barenaked Ladies, B52s, Rob Thomas, Dierks Bentley and Foreigner, but Ziggy may just have been the best.

Eldest son of Bob Marley, David Nesta (“Ziggy”) has fashioned a 40-year career channelling his iconic father’s themes of love, peace, and unity with his own reggae beat, which has earned him eight Grammys over the years.

Marley appeared at IPW thanks to Experience Kissimmee, which relates to his sunny vibes; here’s one of the songs he played, his 2003 hit “True To Myself,” which recently surpassed a whopping 100 million streams on Spotify.

Lyrics

Life has come a long way since yesterday, I say
And its not the same old thing over again, I say
Just do what you feel and don’t you fool yourself, I say
‘Cause I can’t make you happy unless, I am I say I say I

Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself

Day in day out I’ve asked many questions, I say
Only to find the truth it never changes, I say
If you don’t deal with it it keeps killing you a little by little, I say
Call me selfish if you will my life I alone can live, I say I say I

Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself (in a way all)
Got to be true to myself

I don’t care if it hurts
I’m tired of lies and all these games
I’ve reached a point in life no longer can I be this way
Don’t come crying to me I too have shed my share of tears
I’m moving on yes I’m grooving on well I’m finally free I’ve

Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself

Got to be true
Got to be true
Got to be true to myself (in a way all)

Got to be true
Got to be true
Got to be true to myself