Pato Banton blazes into Salinas to play Giovane’s— and help local kids.

While most musicians embark on national tours to introduce more people to their music and make some money, Grammy-nominated reggae vocalist Pato Banton says he has another reason for taking on an ambitious 50-state U.S. tour that will stretch until late September. “America is going through a recession,” he says, “and I believe my message of positivity is needed more than ever.”

Banton, who performs at Salinas’ Giovane’s Friday, is going to do more than preach his message of positivity onstage between performing hits including “Don’t Sniff the Coke” and “Handsworth Riot.” The English-born artist also plans on visiting children and young adults in youth prisons, foster homes and schools while on tour. “I’m just trying to give them a life experience and make them feel special,” he says.

Part of Banton’s reaching out to at-risk youth is due to his own rough upbringing. “My life was was hard,” he says. “I grew up in a very dysfunctional, violent home.”

Luckily, Banton found solace from his turbulent surroundings through music. His first big break occurred when he won a talent contest judged by The English Beat’s Ranking Roger and Dave Wakeling. Banton became friendly with Ranking Roger; they collaborated on “Pato and Roger a Go Talk.”

“The next thing I knew I was on a gold-selling album,” Banton says. He parlayed his early success into a series of fruitful collaborations with the English reggae act UB40 and, later, Sting. In 1987, Banton released his solo debut, Never Give In, which featured a guest spot by David Letterman bandleader Paul Shaffer. His career skyrocketed from there, culminating with a Grammy nomination for 2000’s Life Is a Miracle.

While touring the world, Banton does his best to help disadvantaged children by holding music workshops in the towns where he performs. But he shifted his priorities after two of his sons were injured in a drive-by shooting while Banton was touring America. “When my kids got shot, it was like, ‘Hold on, I haven’t done enough in my own community,’” he says.

The incident caused Banton to return home to Birmingham, England, where he formed Musical Connections, which put music equipment and computers in 16 youth centers, and Muzik Links, which gives at-risk youth a chance to be involved in professional recordings, dance troupes and live performances.

After finding out that Salinas is a city wracked by gang violence, Banton has some advice for local community leaders gained after embarking on several successful at-risk youth programs. (Banton’s efforts have let to his receiving the BBC’s Lifetime Achievement Award.) One is that local officials should use ex-gang members to spread their message. “You can’t change it from the outside but from the inside,” he says.

Banton advises a variety of methods to reach youths. “It wasn’t one angle,” he says. “We approached them with music, academia and fun activities.”

PATO BANTON plays 9pm Friday, March 20, at Giovane’s, 348 San Juan Grade Road, Salinas. $15/adv.; $20/at the door. 444-6717.