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Deon Matthis waking morning radio once again
Richard Johnson
Friday, April 04, 2008
Matthis. since I have been on the air it has been really great
It became somewhat of an alarm clock, and for more than 10 years Jamaicans became accustomed to waking up to the chime, Wake dem up Deon! Then in 2004, Deon Matthis woke us up for the last time on Irie FM. But now after a four-year break from Jamaican radio, the energetic morning lady is back on the Jamaican airwaves, in a familiar role as the host of the morning show on Bess 100 FM.
But what's Deon been up to and where has she been in the four years she has been missing from morning radio? That is the main question we posed to Matthis, who had become known for her morning shout outs, while doing her show, The Wake-up Call, on Irie FM.
"In 2004, I was at that point in my career and I thought I had done all that I could do, on personal level, as it related to my work at the station. I was with Irie from its inception and remain extremely pleased with what the station has a achieved in bringing about that strong sense of appreciation for our Jamaican-ness through reggae music. There are many who thought the station could not sustain itself with its 24-hour all reggae format and the staff which was employed at the onset had the task of creating the template to highlight the value of our music," she said.
Matthis would go on to becoming popular with her audience and reflects on her stint at Irie as being hugely beneficial, both personally and professionally. She notes that her appreciation for reggae grew immensely as she was now able to examine the full reggae catalogue, and appreciate the entire journey of the music, not just what is mainstream, but all the tributaries which make the music that much stronger.
Then like life, all good things must come to an end. "It was hard to leave Irie, but it was time and there was a mutual agreement with the management of the radio station," Matthis remarks.
With time on her hands for reflection, Matthis says the she used the period to focus on herself, but little did she know that another challenge was in the wings waiting to make its entrance. This time the call would take her from Jamaica's shores to Grand Cayman.
Radio in Cayman Islands
"After being at home for just one month, the call came. I was being asked to host a show on Vibe 98FM in Grand Cayman and the big question was ... 'could she start within a week?' I jumped at the challenge and hosted a morning show called Positive Vibrations, which shot to number one within weeks of going on the air. I then became known as Vibe dem up Deon, by Caymanians."
Vibe 98FM is a Caribbean urban station with on-air personalities of various nationalities which gives the station a diverse and multi-cultural flavour.
The challenge of settling in a new country, with a new programme and a new audience was made more difficult with the passage of Hurrican Ivan in September of 2004.
Matthis recalls how as the duty announcer it was her responsibility to prepare her listeners, and the country in general, for the impending onslaught and staffed the station during the pounding that the country received from the deadly hurricane. She relates that in the midst of rising waters and howling winds, along with another female employee, she swept water from the two-storey building which housed the radio station and protected valuable equipment from the water which poured in from the roof. "At the end of my ordeal with hurricane Ivan, what I am left with is an enduring level of respect and recognition for the strength of the human spirit in times of adversity," Matthis adds.
Despite the passage of the hurricane, she looks back with a mixed bag of emotions as it relates to her time overseas. As, despite the fact that she liked the change of scene and the work she was doing, she really missed her family in Jamaica, especially her two daughters. So she decided to return home to be with her girls. In coming back to Jamaica, she took a conscious decision to concentrate on what is very important to her - the family - and stayed out of the limelight. Out of the limelight and concentrating on the family she now could listen to radio.
"Some time ago I started listening to Bess Fm and was immediately captivated by the quality and diversity of the music being played, therefore when they asked me to join the team I said why not. The format is definitely what I like in radio, as it places a strong emphasis on quality music in a light and lively admosphere. Since I have been on the air it has been really great, the calls and words of encouragement have been really touching and I thank each and every listener who has taken the time to call."
Now that she is back on air, Deon Matthis says her listeners can be assured that she will remain on a path of positive vibrations, encouragement and growth, while maintaining the format of Bess fm as it relates to really good music.
Richard Johnson
Friday, April 04, 2008
Matthis. since I have been on the air it has been really greatIt became somewhat of an alarm clock, and for more than 10 years Jamaicans became accustomed to waking up to the chime, Wake dem up Deon! Then in 2004, Deon Matthis woke us up for the last time on Irie FM. But now after a four-year break from Jamaican radio, the energetic morning lady is back on the Jamaican airwaves, in a familiar role as the host of the morning show on Bess 100 FM.
But what's Deon been up to and where has she been in the four years she has been missing from morning radio? That is the main question we posed to Matthis, who had become known for her morning shout outs, while doing her show, The Wake-up Call, on Irie FM.
"In 2004, I was at that point in my career and I thought I had done all that I could do, on personal level, as it related to my work at the station. I was with Irie from its inception and remain extremely pleased with what the station has a achieved in bringing about that strong sense of appreciation for our Jamaican-ness through reggae music. There are many who thought the station could not sustain itself with its 24-hour all reggae format and the staff which was employed at the onset had the task of creating the template to highlight the value of our music," she said.
Matthis would go on to becoming popular with her audience and reflects on her stint at Irie as being hugely beneficial, both personally and professionally. She notes that her appreciation for reggae grew immensely as she was now able to examine the full reggae catalogue, and appreciate the entire journey of the music, not just what is mainstream, but all the tributaries which make the music that much stronger.
Then like life, all good things must come to an end. "It was hard to leave Irie, but it was time and there was a mutual agreement with the management of the radio station," Matthis remarks.
With time on her hands for reflection, Matthis says the she used the period to focus on herself, but little did she know that another challenge was in the wings waiting to make its entrance. This time the call would take her from Jamaica's shores to Grand Cayman.
Radio in Cayman Islands
"After being at home for just one month, the call came. I was being asked to host a show on Vibe 98FM in Grand Cayman and the big question was ... 'could she start within a week?' I jumped at the challenge and hosted a morning show called Positive Vibrations, which shot to number one within weeks of going on the air. I then became known as Vibe dem up Deon, by Caymanians."
Vibe 98FM is a Caribbean urban station with on-air personalities of various nationalities which gives the station a diverse and multi-cultural flavour.
The challenge of settling in a new country, with a new programme and a new audience was made more difficult with the passage of Hurrican Ivan in September of 2004.
Matthis recalls how as the duty announcer it was her responsibility to prepare her listeners, and the country in general, for the impending onslaught and staffed the station during the pounding that the country received from the deadly hurricane. She relates that in the midst of rising waters and howling winds, along with another female employee, she swept water from the two-storey building which housed the radio station and protected valuable equipment from the water which poured in from the roof. "At the end of my ordeal with hurricane Ivan, what I am left with is an enduring level of respect and recognition for the strength of the human spirit in times of adversity," Matthis adds.
Despite the passage of the hurricane, she looks back with a mixed bag of emotions as it relates to her time overseas. As, despite the fact that she liked the change of scene and the work she was doing, she really missed her family in Jamaica, especially her two daughters. So she decided to return home to be with her girls. In coming back to Jamaica, she took a conscious decision to concentrate on what is very important to her - the family - and stayed out of the limelight. Out of the limelight and concentrating on the family she now could listen to radio.
"Some time ago I started listening to Bess Fm and was immediately captivated by the quality and diversity of the music being played, therefore when they asked me to join the team I said why not. The format is definitely what I like in radio, as it places a strong emphasis on quality music in a light and lively admosphere. Since I have been on the air it has been really great, the calls and words of encouragement have been really touching and I thank each and every listener who has taken the time to call."
Now that she is back on air, Deon Matthis says her listeners can be assured that she will remain on a path of positive vibrations, encouragement and growth, while maintaining the format of Bess fm as it relates to really good music.
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