The sister of late US-based disc jockey/sound system selector Father German plans to carry on his work by hosting his popular weekly show.
Karla Bera told the Jamaica Observer that assuming the reins of his Power Of Reggae radio show is one way to honour her brother, who died April 2 in New York from complications dur to COVID-19. Father German was 47 years old.
“Reggae was his love, a passion. He put everything into his music. German was very passionate about reggae,” Bera said. “The plan is, I’ll become the face of Power Of Reggae because I feel it has to go on.”
Father German (given name German Bera) hosted Power Of Reggae for almost a decade. It airs Wednesdays from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm on 99.3 FM New Radio, an Internet station based in their native Brooklyn.
Bera began hosting the show last week.
Father German became a popular figure in New York reggae circles through his King Lion sound system and Power Of Reggae. The latter played music across the board, from old school to contemporary sounds and also included interviews with artistes from different eras.
The Bera family is originally from Guatemala. Father German was introduced to Jamaican music by his father’s brother, who was a DJ. When his uncle died, he inherited his vast music collection which included a considerable catalogue of reggae albums.
Karla Bera recalls her older brother passing on his knowledge of reggae to her whenever King Lion played at dances throughout Brooklyn.
“Me and German were one. If you saw German you saw me. I loved reggae same as him but he did more business-wise for it. Now, it’s my time to take the baton,” she said.
