Versatile Guyanese musician, Leon Couchman is a ‘Special Person’

Sep 18, 2022 News

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Creating music reminiscent of his love for country and indigenous roots…

“There are financial challenges to having my music out there and then you want to feel appreciated. I have about 15 songs I wrote years ago but I haven’t recorded them because studio recordings are quite expensive and then we have the local radio stations no matter how good your song is, they prefer to play these overseas artistes repeatedly instead of giving us a few minutes of air time.”

By Rehanna Ramay

Kaieteur News – Music produced by Guyanese singer, Leon Couchman is undoubtedly inspired by his love for his country and proud indigenous roots. Just the title of one of his most popular singles ‘Guyana My homeland’ is a testament to this.  The song released in the 1990s remains among the collection of top locally-produced singles to have on your playlist.

The lyrics take listeners on a journey along Guyana’s unconquered natural serene landscapes offering them a glimpse of what it’s like living in a place marked by the splendor of nature’s beauty.

In the first verse, Couchman teases listeners by simply asking: “Have you ever been somewhere when there no one else around and the only voice you hear is if you sing yourself a song? Would you like to be around when there is nothing else to see on a mountain of green forests as peaceful as can be? I’m talking about my homeland, Guyana’s Hinterland, a place of relaxation and pure meditation…”

Certainly, those words could entice anyone wanting to escape the ‘hustle and bustle’ of modern civilisation to want to see this place. Couchman said that is his goal. This week’s ‘Special Person’ has been using his musical talent for as long as he can remember to tell people about his Guyanese heritage.

His love for music started when he was just a small boy growing up in the village of Bethany, Supenaam, in Region Two. He said his love affair with music and instruments started when he was four years old.  He recalled making melody by knocking ‘tinin cup’, old buckets, or basically anything he could find.

Couchman has since taught himself to play several instruments including the banjo, guitar, accordion, mouth organ, and bongo drums. He explained that even though he comes from a family that plays several instruments, he did not benefit from being taught how to play them. “I started to pick up the instruments and learn how to play on my own,” he said.

Additionally, the now 67-year-old musician has written over 20 songs, eight of which he recorded. His body of work includes indigenous songs such as Amerindian man, Mari Mari, Bimichi, and Monkey Dance which were produced in his home recording studio.

FAMILY VALUES

Growing up in Bethany and in the Supenaam areas in Region Two, the young Couchman had very humble beginnings.

He exited school very early, at the age of nine years to be precise, because his family could no longer afford it. The musician noted, nonetheless, that he learned from a young age the value of hard work and honesty.

He said that when he started working, he remembers fetching sawdust in a wheelbarrow much bigger than himself while his parents, Ursula and William, did the best they could to raise him and his siblings.

He said, “I only went to school for a few classes and didn’t sit the exams because I was helping to provide for my seven siblings.”

Yet, this upbringing moulded Couchman into bringing full originality to his music. While he draws influences from popular western music and reggae styles that caught his attention whilst growing up, Couchman has worked tirelessly to create his own unique sound. He credits this to the natural rhythm, he said, he was born with.

“As a young man after learning I started to play the guitar on my own, I became so skilled that people who heard me play began calling me, ‘Mr. Johnny Guitar’, he said.

In fact, the musician told this publication that he has evolved so much with the instrument that he can simultaneously play both rhythm and base on the guitar.

It should be no surprise though as Couchman hails from a talented musical family. Both his parents and grandfather played instruments of some kind.  “I grew up around music so it was in my blood to find my way with the instruments. I picked them up and learned to play and my children have done the same…I didn’t really need to teach them anything,” he said.

Today, the musician proudly leads the Couchman Family Band. He said this is one of his most valued accomplishments since it combines his two greatest loves— family and music. The band originally included his three children – Raul, Natassia, and Karissia. However, he revealed that a new generation of the Couchman family band is taking shape with his son, Raul, and his grandchildren taking more prominent roles.

He said his beloved wife of 42 years, Kayo, has also been a constant support to the family as they perform at various local events throughout the country.

And though he was committed to his artistic efforts, Couchman noted that being a musician could not pay his bills. He had a family to feed and as such, he found employment elsewhere.

“I worked as an honest mechanic,” said Couchman who worked as a ship’s engineer for over two decades.

Couchman’s exposure in mechanics saw him working with A. Mazaharally and Sons and Rambarran’s in Supenaam.  He was later recommended to complete several theoretical courses in mechanics with the National Technical School in California which he did.

He explained, “As I grew older I started to like mechanics. I trained as a mechanic from my teenage days then I became a full-out mechanic. With further training, I became a diesel/marine engineer. I specialise in diesel and gasoline engines and engineering ship engines.”

As a mechanic, Couchman worked earnestly to provide for their family until he retired several years ago. Since then, he has been focused on his music and other passions which include farming and agriculture.

COUCHMAN MUSIC

The musician recalled that when he started to take music seriously he made his first recorded song, “Aint Gonna Wait No more”. After receiving no support for that song he went ahead and wrote several songs to keep.

Several years after his three children were born, the family decided to form a band which they called ‘Scorpio Band’ but then changed it to the ‘Leon Couchman Family Band’. They were a well-known cross-over band that performed all genres of music from, chutney to Soca and Reggae songs. The band also performed popular English, and Indian Spanish songs. In addition, each member of the band had an original song. And given that Couchman is of Lokono (Arawak) origin, and his wife is of East Indian ancestry, the musician recorded his own chutney songs including one of his most popular tunes titled “I Miss My Dulahin”

The band’s popularity grew to afford them travel the length and breadth of Guyana to perform for various organisation including the Fogarty Stores, Roraima, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

“We were asked to attend a meeting to work with the indigenous tribes to help them create their indigenous music. That is when the family produced the first studio recordings of the Mari Mari, Bimichi, and monkey dance,” Couchman related.

When Mr. Couchman decided to record two songs of his own – Guyana my Homeland and Amerindian Man – the songs became an instant hit with local and international audiences, so much so that he and his son, Raul, were invited to perform in Canada at the Indigenous Itauching Pang Celebrations.

Throughout the years, the family band has performed at annual heritage villages and several other public showcases across the country. As of now, Couchman is retired and sings for national events in Guyana when requested.

The musician noted, nevertheless, there are many challenges to local artistes achieving their goals. These included inadequate funding and support from the local fan base.

He explained, “There are financial challenges to having my music out there and then you want to feel appreciated. I have about 15 songs I wrote years ago but I haven’t recorded them because studio recordings are quite expensive and then we have the local radio stations no matter how good your song is, they prefer to play these overseas artistes repeatedly instead of giving us a few minutes of air time.”

Additionally, Couchman noted that not having copyright legislation in place makes it difficult for local singers and other types of creatives to put out their body of work without fear of it being coveted by others with no avenue of redress.

The musician has had a sobering experience with the copyright issue.  In spite of these challenges, Couchman is happy to be able to share music that helps to uplift people.

His pride as a musician comes from hearing people gleefully call his name saying, “look homeland man is coming!” And while he has not received any awards for his efforts, Couchman is resolute about his efforts. He said, “My love for music is enough to motivate me.”

As such, the musician counts being able to take his music to Canada, Carifesta, and national events such as Mashramani and Independence yearly as well as performing as a family for the opening of Main Big Lime and Amerindian Heritage celebrations, as his biggest moments.

 

 

 

 

 

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