Music Is Not What I Do, It's Who I Am.

When his drumsticks move nimbly across a melody to create a living heartbeat for a piece of music, respected Caribbean artist Frederick Griffith is happy.  For this talented drummer who has in his twenty (20) years on the music scene, worked with professionals including regional and international gospel and jazz artists, music is his life, and taking the art to further heights his mission.

 Frederick Griffith was born in Barbados on June 9, 1971.  From an early age he was drumming on anything he could find - skillets, old saucepans, doors, his school desk - any reasonably flat, resonant surface became a source of music.

 At the age of 10, his natural talents were recognized by local gospel band Phase II Undaunted, who took him on as their drummer.  Their faith in the fledgling artist came to fruition in 1985, as the youth with the magic hands won the local Drummer of the Year gospel award.

 In 1987, as he honed his talents, he became one of the founding members of Barbadian gospel group, Virtue, whose innovative blend of Caribbean rhythms popularized and endeared them to the local gospel enthusiasts.  By this time, Frederick’s youthful charisma and unique, self-taught style on the drums had made him into a national music celebrity in his own right.  It earned him respect and accolades from music industry moguls and critics alike.

 “Frederick Griffith is perhaps one of the best drummers in gospel music.  In every performance he ably demonstrates his timpani skills, and shows why he is so highly rated in Barbados," one gospel music critic wrote.

 Despite all of this, he remained humble, with an unsatiable aim to learn everything he could about drumming, and to keep up with the musical and technical trends and innovations of his trade.

In 1992, the opportunity for the further development of his musical talents arose with his move to the local gospel band, Promise.  This dynamic new group toured the region extensively, and has released four (04) albums to date, three (03) of which he has recorded - Love Letters (1993), Home Town & The Best of Promise (1998) and the recently released Christmas Album Sweet Noel in 2001.  His fifth album with Promise has just been completed and will be released shortly.

Frederick also began taking part in the Barbados' annual Gospelfest - a celebration of gospel music featuring the creme de la creme of local, regional and international gospel artists - from its inception in 1993 affording him the opportunity to work with international talent like, Jeff White, Valerie Boyd, Maxine Richards, Tremaine Hawkins, Rev. Kelvin Bernard Rhone, Junior Tucker and Atta BoafoHis last live recording with Gospelfest was in 1996 on the Breakforth - Barbados Gospelfest Vol 1 album.