In June, the Jamaica Observer presented a series looking at reggae artistes going on tour. We follow up with some of those acts.

LAST summer, the Earthkry band had little live work to show for hours of intense rehearsals. Their frustration was eased considerably this summer by a 15-date tour of the United States.

It started June 19 at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in northern California and closed July 17 at the Wild Fire club in Chicago.

The quartet also did club dates in the South, New England, Midwest and East Coast.

“The tour was very important to us because we were able to reach out to the US fans that love our music. We are very happy we took the step to go there because it opened even more doors for greater things from EarthKry,” said Tara Johnson, who co-manages the band with Felicia Kelly.

Singer/guitarist Aldayne Haughton, Phillip McFarlane (keyboards/vocals), Kamardo Blake (Bass/vocals) and drummer Kieron Cunningham are the members of EarthKry, which formed while they were students at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

The band — which completed their local Hard Road Tour last year — plans to release their first album in early 2017.

— Howard Campbell