What We Carry: David Robert | A Father’s Gift, A Son’s Calling
Sometimes, what we carry begins with something someone else believed in before we understood its purpose.
For Guyanese American musician David Robert, that something was a guitar.
Raised in the Bronx, Robert traces the beginning of his musical journey back to Guyana, where he first encountered a guitar in a bottom house. His father would later work and save his paycheck to buy him his first instrument. At the time, he didn’t fully understand the need for it. Over time, that gift became the beginning of a lifelong relationship with music.
With more than 13 years of experience playing in bands, performing at events, and teaching music, Robert has carried that passion across genres and generations. From reggae and chutney soca to church music, he sees music as both art and science, a careful relationship between rhythm, mathematics, instruments, and musicians coming together to create harmony.
His work has taken him to stages across New York State, including Caribbean Day in Schenectady, and alongside artists such as Samuel Medas. Yet, beyond the performances, music remains deeply rooted in family, faith, and service. He leads church band activities, teaches music, and helps others discover the language of sound.
Family remains at the center of his story. During our conversation, his daughter helped bring the interview setup together, while his son continues the musical tradition by playing in his church band. The love for music has become something shared, passed along in ways that extend beyond any single performance.
When asked what he would say to his father, Robert spoke with gratitude for the life his parents provided for him and his siblings, and for the opportunities that came with bringing their family to the United States.
Now, as his father faces a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, that first guitar carries an even deeper meaning. It represents more than an instrument. It represents sacrifice, belief, and a gift whose impact continued long after the paycheck was spent.
This is what we carry: the opportunities our parents created, the traditions that travel with us, and the love that becomes part of who we are.
Through music, David Robert continues to carry that gift forward.