SHILLONG, April 26: Lou Majaw, veteran singer and songwriter also known as Shillong’s very own ‘Bob Dylan’, was conferred with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ here on Tuesday by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
The CM on the day also launched the Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project which envisions creating musical platform at the grassroots level for artistes to help them hone their art and take the Rock Capital’s musical legacy forward.
“I feel good as always like I have been feeling for the past 55 years since I have been in this area of work,” said Lou Majaw while speaking to The Shillong Times on the sidelines of the programme.
The veteran musician shared that his roots are in Shillong and he intends to be here, while adding that he will, however, travel and keep sharing the love of music.
Asked for his message to other musicians, especially the budding ones, he said, “Live life responsibly.”
Lou after receiving the award belted out a song amid fans and family who had gathered to witness the award ceremony.
Founding member of Soulmate, a Blues-Rock band from Shillong, Rudy Wallang, said, “Lou was my mentor when I started off. I was 18. He receiving the life time achievement award is high time that he got this award. It has been a really long time coming and finally the Government of Meghalaya has recognised his contribution to music in India, specifically in Shillong and the North East.”
Among the attendees was a political leader but a musician and poet at heart, Paul Lyngdoh, who feels Lou Majaw has been an iconic presence in the music landscape of Shillong for the past many decades. “It is really with a sense of pride that we are here today to celebrate his music,” Lyngdoh said.
“I have always been a huge fan of his and especially his original songs which I learned as a teenager. And over the years apart from learning his music and getting to know his song, I have also got to know the person intimately and he is a wonderful human being who has inspired an entire generation of Shillongites and people across the North East, musically.” On the other hand, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who has been seen time and again rocking some impressive guitar riffs, said the Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project has been conceptualised to encourage the musicians in Meghalaya by providing a musical platform.
Stressing on the need to further leverage the music scene in the state, which is branded as the ‘Rock Capital of India’, the CM said that through this unique programme, the state government will launch a series of events of different genres, which will be promoted to attract tourists in the state.
“We strongly believe that the youth of our state will be engaged through this programme. The project will give them the opportunity to unleash their musical talents,” the CM added.
He further said that the project will ensure a positive change in the mindset of the youth, who will take up music as a career. “We are trying to create a positive environment for musicians and music lovers. The youth can be engaged productively through this programme,” he stressed.
Under this contemporary initiative, the state government will support gigs and music shows across the state, while also supporting artistes to go on tours outside the state.
Some of the unique features of this intervention are the ‘Street Performance Platform’ — wherein artistes will perform in different public spaces — and the ‘Music Café Platform’ — under this initiative of the project, artistes will get the opportunity to perform in different cafés across the state.