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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — A quiet cultural revolution has been buzzing its way across the Caribbean—and its name is the Honeybees Stringband.

What many are now calling “the Stringband Wave” did not emerge overnight. While the movement gained unstoppable momentum in 2025, the roots of the Honeybees stretch all the way back to the 1960s, making them technically the oldest surviving band in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. What has happened in the last year, however, is nothing short of historic.

From Heritage to Headliner

In 2025, the Honeybees became Nevis’ biggest cultural ambassadors, and arguably the most travelled stringband in the entire Caribbean, flying the Federation’s flag at elite regional and international platforms. Their résumé reads like a festival circuit dream:

• First stringband ever to grace the stage of the St. Kitts Music Festival
• A standout performance at Antigua’s Breakfast Fête
• Official representation of St. Kitts and Nevis at CARIFESTA in Barbados
• Electrifying sets at the British Virgin Islands Fungi Fest across Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke
• A prestigious appearance at the Governor General’s Evening of Musical Excellence
• Invitations to the Grenada Stringband Festival (declined only due to overlapping Governor General duties)
• Performances at the ECCU Credit Union Food Fair and the Caribbean Association of Medical Technicians function at Government House, St. Kitts

Add to that three airline trips in a single year, dozens of community performances, weddings, funerals, clubs, village fêtes, and countless charitable donations to schools, churches, and hospital events—and a pattern becomes clear: this is not just a band, it’s a cultural mission.

Enter DaddyPlay — The Catalyst

A turning point came when DaddyPlay officially joined the band after a two-year wait. Almost immediately, the Honeybees entered a new era. He launched their Facebook and YouTube platforms, amplifying the band’s reach and visibility, and then did something virtually unheard of in traditional stringband culture.

He wrote, arranged, and sang on the Honeybees’ first-ever original song, boldly titled “We Are Coming.” In hindsight, the title was prophetic—a warning shot that the Caribbean heard loud and clear.

That single release directly paved the way for the Honeybees’ historic invitation to the St. Kitts Music Festival stage, breaking a long-standing barrier for stringbands.

Breaking Tradition, Making History

Stringbands traditionally focus on folk standards and reinterpretations. Original compositions are rare. The Honeybees shattered that convention.

Their second original release, “Honeybees Sweet,” featuring soca artiste Itebulous, further cemented their role as innovators. Written and arranged by DaddyPlay and produced by the Honeybees themselves, the song—and its accompanying video—signaled that this movement was only accelerating.

A third original track is already completed and scheduled for release for Nevis Culturama, set to feature another prominent soca artiste from St. Kitts and Nevis. Even more tantalizing: a major collaboration with a well-known international artist is currently in the works, being kept tightly under wraps.

A Legacy Reclaimed

At the heart of the Honeybees is Colin Freeman, son of the legendary maestro David Freeman, affectionately remembered as “De Wicked Fifer.” David Freeman was the architect behind the original Honeybees, and today, his legacy lives on—stronger, louder, and more innovative than ever.

The Sound of a Village, The Voice of a Nation

Based in Rawlins Village, Gingerland, Nevis, the Honeybees are powered by an exceptional ensemble of musicians:

• Kris Hanley – Fife
• Jelani Manners – All instruments
• Brandon Hamilton – Banjo
• Colin Freeman – Cuatro
• DaddyPlay – Double Ukulele
• Jermaine Manners – Banjo
• Michael Maynard – Mandolin
• Miller Stapleton – Guitar
• Jevon Manners – Guitar
• Kaymaar Caines – All instruments
• Sydney Newton – Guitar
• John Freeman – Barho
• Tazari Tyson – Barho
• Mark Liburd – Cuatro
• CJ Freeman – Triangle
• Minister Eric Evelyn – Guiro

More Than Music

What the Honeybees Stringband has achieved in one year is unprecedented. They have modernized tradition without diluting it, carried Nevisian culture onto global stages, and proved that stringband music is not relic—it is relevant, powerful, and evolving.

The wave has started.
The warning was clear.
The Honeybees are here—and they are still coming.