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Music History · Henry K

Rootsland "Stories that are Music to your ears"

by Henry K

Rootsland is a long-form narrative audio documentary created and hosted by Henry K. Set against the backdrop of Jamaica and its music culture, the series blends memoir, documentary storytelling, history, and lived experience to explore friendship, ambition, faith, loss, identity, and the moments that change our lives. Drawing on nearly three decades living and working in Jamaica, Henry K takes listeners beyond the headlines and into the lives of artists, dreamers, hustlers, visionaries, and everyday people whose paths intersect in unexpected ways. While reggae often provides the soundtrack, Rootsland is ultimately about people, memory, culture, and the search for meaning in a changing world. Broadcasting from the intersection of word, sound, and power, these are stories about the roads we choose, the people who shape us, and what remains long after the music fades.

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

The Times they are A-Changin'

– The Times They Are A-Changin' After more than 100 episodes, heard in over 180 countries, one chapter is coming to a close... and a new one is about to begin. The epis

Jul 23
17 min

Seventeen

Seventeen years ago, Sia received a second chance at life. In this special birthday episode, she and Henry revisit a remarkable chapter of their journey and reflect on t

Jun 18
18 min

Ambush in the Night "Producer's Cut"

December 3rd, 1976. Two days before the historic Smile Jamaica concert, gunmen stormed Bob Marley’s home at 56 Hope Road and opened fire. He performed anyway. In this

May 28
18 min

"What Remains" Just Keep Trying

A forgotten cassette demo from forty years ago leads Henry K back to the first song he ever sold… and three simple words that shaped his life: Just keep trying. What beg

Apr 30
15 min

"What Remains" Everything Remains

In the season finale of Rootsland, Henry K reflects on one of the oldest questions we carry through life. What remains? The journey begins with a ten-year-old boy in Ko

Apr 16
14 min

"What Remains" Still in the Game

Still in the Game After the emotional journey of Road to Zion, Rootsland takes a quieter turn. A phone call from Kingston leads Henry K back to a forgotten corner of hi

Apr 2
18 min

"What Remains" The Road to Zion (Part 3)

On the finale of Road to Zion… a phone call becomes a turning point. Standing at the edge of a decision he can’t take back, Patrick Gaynor is forced to choose between th

Mar 18
15 min

"What Remains" The Road to Zion (Part 2)

In Part 2 of The Road to Zion, Patrick “Curly Loxx” Gaynor stands in a Kingston morgue looking down at his son. The explanation he’s been given doesn’t match what he see

Mar 12
15 min

"What Remains" The Road to Zion (Part 1)

"What Remains" The Road to Zion — Part 1 While boarding a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Kingston, Rootsland host Henry K receives a call from longtime friend and artist

Mar 4
14 min

"What Remains" The Final Cut

In this episode of Rootsland, Henry K connects a sumo wrestler in Japan, Bob Marley in Miami, and the quiet reality most of us eventually face. After watching the retire

Feb 19
16 min

"What Remains" One Take

ONE TAKE In this episode of Rootsland, Henry K explores what happens when life doesn’t give you a second chance. Through a chance encounter in a supermarket aisle, memo

Feb 5
17 min

"What Remains" A Song of our Own

SEASON 10 What Remains · EPISODE 1 — A Song of our Own In the Season 10 premiere of Rootsland, Henry K traces how scent, sound, and song carry us back to what truly sha

Jan 22
22 min

"Resistance" Babylon by Bus

In this powerful Rootsland Season 9 Finale Henry K guides you from the abandoned farmhouses of early American country music… to the zinc fences of Trenchtown, and straigh

Dec 30 2025
20 min

"Resistance" The Vibes Man

In this episode of Rootsland Resistance Henry K lifts the curtain on the unsung heroes of Jamaican music — the vibes men, the background innovators who lit up dancehall w

Dec 11 2025
18 min

"Sitting in Limbo" Jimmy Cliff Tribute

"Sitting in Limbo" pays tribute to the profound impact of the late reggae icon Jimmy Cliff, whose recent passing has left an indelible void in the world of music and cult

Nov 28 2025
21 min

"Resistance" Many Rivers to Cross

In the episode "Many Rivers to Cross" Henry K and Sia explore the quiet but powerful weight of regret—how it can hold us back, and how it can set us free. Their conversat

Nov 14 2025
19 min

"Hurricane Melissa Special" Sense of Purpose

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastation, Henry K and Sia reflect on Jamaica’s unbreakable spirit — and what it truly means to live with purpose. From the humor of

Nov 3 2025
20 min

"Resistance" Every time I plant a Seed

In this powerful new episode of Rootsland: The Resistance, Henry K and Sia tell the story of Bipin Joshi — a young Nepali rapper and farmer who left home to learn modern

Oct 23 2025
22 min

"Resistance" The Tan Umbrella

Rootsland: Resistance – Episode 1: “The Tan Umbrella”In the debut of Rootsland: Resistance, hosts Henry K and Sia explore what it truly means to “put up resistance” — in

Oct 10 2025
20 min

"30 Minutes to Zion" Finale

Amidst the rolling Red Hills of Kingston, Rootsland returns with its most powerful story yet. In this season finale, "30 minutes to Zion" Henry K bridges the streets of S

Sep 4 2025
27 min

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

Hands down one of the best podcasts out there. Been listening since season one, great storytelling complemented by perfect music. The cadence, the tone, even if you don’t enjoy reggae music, it will be. Captivated by the story never gets boring.

Kingstonvibez420 · Nov 2025

This is probably the easiest intro to jump into learning about the history of modern reggae music. Very digestible, relatable, and worthwhile tangents that put into context the great human reflection of reggae and Jamaican music. Lots of helpful backstory while keeping a narrative flowing - entertaining and packed with details . Great music and transitions to nail the feel

roo-tical · May 2024

Well worth a listen!! In addition to the fascinating tale of life and labor in the music industry in Jamaica, the production of Henry's voice along with the addition of sound effects and music really lends to enjoyable, easy listening.

393938423984 · Feb 2024

Amazing series with great insight into the reggae world while also following a powerful story of two friends whose paths are twisted together.

Dreadpiratemay · Feb 2024

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.

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Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Rootsland "Stories that are Music to your ears", its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.

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