As a small boy, Kamau loved music; any kind of music! He would listen to the songs on the radio every chance he got: morning, noon, afternoon, evening, night, midnight and even the wee hours of the morning, He was a music fanatic!
At the age of 14, he got with a few friends and formed a group called the Roof Tops. They practiced a few songs by the Beatles, the Drifters and Johnny Mathis, but never sang (publicly) any of them. The group lasted about two months.
Kamau's years as a teenager were filled with dreams of becoming a professional singer. He entered several singing contests and was always placed in the top three. Whenever he performed, he was well dressed and had already established an appealing stage presence. He was -even at that early age- a well rounded performer. He possessed a great voice, was extremely fashion conscious and was an incredible dancer.
At the age of sixteen, Kamau met Billy Dimond. They had competed in a talent contest held at the Sugar Mill Hotel (a popular hotel and night club, at the time, in Antigua). Billy received first place while Kamau received third. An instant friendship developed and in a short time they had formed the Wheels Of Time. A singing group that included Billy, Kamau and Milton (Kamau's younger brother). The group lasted for about a year.
Quite a number of local singers and musicians helped to influence Kamau's outlook on entertaining and, more specifically, professional singing. Rupert Blaze, Barry Harvey, Teddy Jackson, Andy Lawrence, Jackie J, Pat Edwards (PO), Muddy Gonzales and T.N.T Philip are important ones. Also, a duo that had the greatest impact on Kamau was Lenny and Levee, one of the most popular and successful singing groups of the day. Unknown to many, when Lenny was looking for a singer to form the duo, Kamau was the first person he approached. Regrettably, Kamau's schedule prevented the union.
Although a number of bands helped to influence Kamau's direction as a professional singer, the one that was most significant was the Targets; a local band with international appeal. The band consisted of some of the greatest musicians to be found on the island of Antigua. Kamau's father worked at the Anchorage Hotel; a leading hotel on the island. One night, while visiting his father at work, Kamau was introduced to the band, which played regularly at the hotel. He was invited to sing a song; which he did. The performance was electrifying. Although he never became a member of the band, he would sing with the band whenever he visited the hotel. This he did for several years.
Becoming an honorary member of the Targets was not the greatest benefit received by Kamau. The knowledge he acquired was. This knowledge was received mainly through his association with the late Statchel Edwards; the band's primary horn player. Statchel was not only a mentor but a good friend.
