SPECULATION OVER two-time monarch John King’s participation in this year’s Crop-Over Festival and in De Digicel Big Show has been laid to rest.In what was his first tent appearance for the season on Thursday night at the Plantation Garden Theatre, King’s answer was simple – Ah Go Dun.But based on the number of things on which that decision is based, it may very well be the 12th of never.Guest appearing in the Headliners tent for their opening fent, King was one of the more popular performers on the night and earned an encore for the catchy Ah Go Dun, which is a response to the people who have been calling for the stakeholders to throw in the towel.Among the contingencies was when there is nothing else to win, when the Party Monarch no longer has to roam, and when melody and lyrics mean something to Contone.Speaking to the SATURDAY SUN during intermission, King said he had been bombarded with phone calls following his announcement on one of the Crop-Over programmes that he would not be participating in this year’s festival. “I had no intention of actually performing this year, my commitments to work outside of Crop-Over would have kept me a lil’ bit more busy than I would like to. And I always feel that if I gine be in Crop-Over and compete, and do all o’ dem tings I gotta be at optimum,” said King, who is working on the private cruise ship Freewinds Scientology.Amidst his own dilemma, he said he had committed to doing some guest appearances with Headliners and was “going to do some old songs” but, like in previous times he was contemplating staying out, fans took priority.“After I got so many calls, I said you know what just sing and if the ship calls I go and if they don’t call I’ll be here . . . I decided I would come out man and still be a part of the Crop-Over. I did a lot of writing this year and I decided [after] all those calls I got, fans come first,” he explained.He is pairing Ah Go Dun with Jakasonian and will definitely be appearing in De Digicel Big Show, of which he is an owner. He has not yet decided if he would be competing in the Pic-O-De-Crop competition, however.“I can commit to singing, but I can’t commit to the competition ‘cause again, if the ship calls I gone. So it would be unfair for me to go and compete and then, let’s say I get to semi-finals or something, or even finals and then you gotta go . . .I will wait and see, probably by the middle of July I should know if I need to leave or not,” said king, whose tent appears before judgment on July 16.With regard to any perceived conflict among the owners and management of De Digicel Big Show, King had this to say: “Like anything in life there are always rumours and people picking and trying to know things. All I would safely say to people is that come tomorrow night (Friday), De Big Show is going to be out there and kicking. And it’s going to be here for a long time to come, and John King will be there, definitely.” (YB)
