Born with musical genes - mother Thelma played piano and his father Billy was a guitarist - Robert Emery's home, like those of his neighbours, was always filled with music.

"I came up in the back of town, and during those times there was a lot of getting together on days and evenings. There didn't have to be a special event. People just sang and played, and of course the kids were always in that presence, so naturally we were influenced by that," Mr. Emery says.

"But I have to attribute being an entertainer to my aunt Helen. When I was about four, she'd put me on her kitchen table and I'd have to sing 'Mambo Jumbo' to her house guests."

Blessed with a natural talent, when Sai was a little older he began hanging around a neighbour's house, where one youngster played the violin and the other the piano. He, on the other hand, always wanted to be a drummer so he began beating time on the back of an old ukelele. He got so good at it, in fact, that when he was 13 the trio formed their own band, 'The Dimensions', with himself as the drummer.

"Mine was a natural talent, and I was entirely self-taught," Mr. Emery says proudly. "I was never very disciplined when it came to formal practice, however. I got most of my practice through playing."

As time went on he became more interested in singing, so The Dimensions took on Earlston Leader as the drummer, while young Sai became the band's front man - a position that remains his favourite to this day.

"It's not an ego thing," he explains. "I have a natural talent for the front and I express myself well there."

The Dimensions were a popular addition to the vibrant entertainment scene, playing such locations as Tasty Towers, the Jungle Room, and the Bermuda Room at the Bermudiana Hotel, as well as for special events.

After about five years Mr. Emery left the band and freelanced as a drummer, percussionist and singer, performing with a variety of bands. He then joined Aiden McNally and the Bermuda Sounds as a drummer, touring Canada and the United States and playing at the Guinea Discotheque.

After a few years, however, like many Bermuda musicians, Mr. Emery felt it was time to spread his wings so he moved to Boston.

"I was like a little boy sent out to the jungle to kill the fearless lion," he remembers. "I began to learn and open my mind. It was the first time I had lived abroad and I did a lot of growing there. I got to see a different side of life and broaden my horizons, musically and otherwise."

Because it is germane to his "new" life today, Mr. Emery admits that, in addition to working, his Boston years also included "some illegal things" and being involved into drugs.

"It was during the hippie era and I went all through the drug scene - pot, LSD - but I was always able to set limits, and fortunately I survived it," he says.

Eventually, he came home and formed his own band, 'Life Sentence', with Dennis Moniz, Dennis Fox, Clevie Astwood, David Skinner and Erwin Leader joining him in the line-up.

"We did mostly concerts because we weren't a dance band, and we focused on all original material. It was pretty much based on a lot of the experiences I had in Boston," Mr. Emery says. "We were all young, and we worked during the day and rehearsed for six to eight hours every night. We were really disciplined, although we weren't all that popular because everybody wanted to hear the sounds they heard on radio."

Three years later it was a case of "California here I come", where the musician remained for 13 years. During this time he not only played with a variety of different artists, including Dana Gillespie, a UK singer attached to David Bowie's company, Main Man, and Richie Havens, but also he married for the first time and had a son, Rashaan (Paka). Unfortunately, Mr. Emery also became a crack addict, albeit one who could work to support his habit. Four years into his addiction he returned home.

"Altogether, I was a crack addict for 14 years but I always worked and never resorted to stealing, although if I'd continued on much longer I probably would have degenerated into that," he says. "My life was at an all-time low. I had some frightening moments, and there were times when I thought I was going to die. Then there was always the overall danger of getting caught, or physically harmed by other crack addicts and dealers. I lived in abandoned house, and I pretty much stayed away from my family."

It was a degrading existence for someone so talented, and he knew it. Finally, at age 47 he'd had enough. He took stock of his life, and realised that he had two choices: either he could continue down the same sordid path towards death, or he could turn his life around.

"I had two children (Paka and my Bermudian daughter, Sia Spence) whom I loved dearly, and I wanted to see them grow and be achievers in life," Mr. Emery says.

So far, so good, but it took a chance meeting with a lifelong friend to begin the process.

"Ironically, I was on my way to buy more crack when I bumped into a friend who had become a Christian. I told her I was going to come and see her that weekend, but I'd said it so many times before and didn't mean it that she didn't believe me. Because I really wanted to do something with my life, however, I did show up, only to find that she wasn't home, but her parents were. They had just had a fire and were doing some repair work so I volunteered to stay and give them a hand."

When the couple asked Mr. Emery how things were going, he admitted his life was "the pits", whereupon they invited him to go to church with them.

Thus it was that, on April 7, 1996, he found himself in the House of Prayer "giving (his) heart to the Lord".

"I have never turned back since, and I am now in my seventh year of being clean," Mr. Emery says proudly. "For a period of time I kind of felt thrown by the wayside, but once I became grounded in the Lord I found it easier to continue on with my chosen profession. I have now regained my status as a professional musician, and what has come out of that is my first CD, 'In the Key of Christ'."

Just released, with two exceptions all of the tracks are Emery originals, and they not only bring his unique vocal style to the world of gospel but also embrace a variety of musical cultures, including Latin America, African tribal rhythms and contemporary North American sounds.

"It encompasses my life experience," the composer/singer says, his pleasure at the finished product - which took five years to complete - undisguised.When it came to arrangements of his music, Mr. Emery collaborated with his longtime friend and fellow musician, Johnny Woolridge.

"Not being formally trained in music like Johnny, he was able to interpret whatever I gave him, and embellish it with his own ideas and arrangements. In fact, I call him 'Maestro'. He touched my music with his baton and it was magic. The work he did was priceless. I could never pay him enough for it."

A host of top Bermudian musicians and singers, including his wife Kim, provide the splendid backing.

Today, life could not be sweeter for Robert (Sai) Emery. His son is a rapper and writer, his daughter is a well-known singer, and last May he married Kim, a music teacher who directs the choir at the First Church of God, where he is the percussionist. His band, 'Life Sentence', has also been reformed, with Jeffrey Marshall, Erwin Leader, Dennis Fox and David Skinner joining him.

Based on his own experiences, Mr. Emery's advice to Bermuda's youngsters is unequivocal: "Stay in school and acquire as much education as you possibly can. Take advantage of your youth to do the right things. Stay away from drugs and don't become involved - not even in weed. I have done it all and it almost killed me. When you become involved in soft or hard drugs you are a captive in that environment and it opens the doors that lead to other bad things. You are not invincible."

Mr. Emery's CD, 'In the Key of Christ', is now available at The Christian Bookstore, Music Box, Music World, Dub City Regords, Revelations Boutique and Thel's Caf?.