Nothing can stop me from playing music –Tammy Jack
By MAGNUS EZE
There is a guitar girl in town seen mostly in parks and gardens in Abuja City Centre. Tammy Jack, 23, loves fiddling with guitar strings and cords, and by so doing, has also become a regular face in wedding and birthday parties in the nation’s capital.
The Abonnema, Rivers State-born former student of King of Kings Secondary School Port Harcourt, did not come into music by accident. She told Abuja Metro that the talent began manisfesting very early in her life that even her teachers, classmates and neighbours knew that music would bring her fame. She said her mother would always love to watch her sing.
How did it start?
“As a little girl, I discovered that singing is part of me; I kept singing and I feel happy when I sing. While in secondary school, I met a friend in Port Harcourt who asked me to come to Jos for auditioning with their Makosa band. It was a complete French band made up of people from Francophone countries like Cameroun, Chad, Congo and Burkina Faso. There was even one of them from Libya. So, music took me to Jos, the Plateau State capital, at that early age.
“I played with the band and was also invited on occasions to play with other bands like The Rainbow Band. So, I am not just new; I have done music for five years.”
Although Tammy is synonymous with her guitar, but her strength is actually in her voice. Powerful, arresting, soothing and sonorous; there is no mistaking Tammy’s voice whenever she renders the evergreen tunes of American music icons, Kenny Rogers, Don Williams, Jim Reeves and other doyens of country music.
Yes; she plays Country Music, Soul, Rock, Blues and Calypso. She admits being at her best with Country and Soft rock Music.
The songbird who believes in bringing Africanness into her songs, said: “You can bring your unique way into a brand of music, be it rock or country, just like what Frank Edward does. I also play native rock, country and blues”
Although Tammy is not yet a household name, but she is convinced that her greatness is not far-fetched.
With four friends, Tammy is building a band that would hopefully change the face of gospel music genre in Nigeria; especially in the area of concerts.
Any hope for a band her own?
Tammy said: “I don’t think that anything can stop me from playing music. It gives me joy entertaining people.
“I am not thinking of playing with any band; I want to go on concerts. I will soon walk into the studio to record my songs, basically inspirational rock and country songs.
“I know what I am doing, when I go to the parks and gardens. Everybody has to start from somewhere. I meet people in gardens and make money too to help myself and then lift my talent and it gives me time to work on my songs”.
One interesting thing was that this young lady who bestrides Abuja clutching guitar in a Tom Boy style was taught how to play guitar free of charge by a music teacher, Mr. Gift Danjuma, who saw her zeal and passion for music.
Danjuma said the young girl would go places if she matched her wonderful voice with mastery of a very essential instrument like the guitar.
“I didn’t do music in school, but was taught how to play guitar by a music teacher in Jos, Plateau State for one year. He saw the zeal in me and coached me free. Singing is a talent from birth, but I had to learn how to play guitar.”
On how she was able to master everything about guitar in one year, she said: “Guitar is very wide; you can’t learn it overnight. You only improve with time after learning the basics. So, I grew with time after getting the rudiments.”
United States-based Rock band, Hillsong and gospel sensation Frank Edward inspire this multi-talented and determined young lady who believes that music is her life.
Aside solo performances in weddings and birthdays, Tammy, since coming to Abuja about three years ago, has played in Nanet Suites, Bolingo Hotel and the International Conference Centre as well as some invitational outings in Lagos and Kaduna.