Dennis Brown tribute concert to honour the man behind the music

According to the organisers of the annual Dennis Brown Tribute Concert, this Sunday’s event will be more than a tribute to a musical genius as they will also be paying homage to the man behind the hits.

Junior Lincoln, chairman of the Dennis Brown Trust and one of the show’s chief organisers, described the ‘Crown Prince of Reggae’ as one of the humblest individuals he knew and says that the event will be focusing on honouring him outside of who he was as an artiste. “We have been trying to keep this event ever since he died because to us, it’s more than just about remembering his musical legacy – it is also about remembering him, the individual. It has not been an easy road to do this, but every year, we try to do something – doesn’t matter how small or big it is because we see the significance in celebrating him,” he said. He continued, “There is no artiste in Jamaica that is as loved as Dennis Brown, not even Bob. Bob is respected as the king, there is no doubt about that, but we’re talking about love. The industry loves Dennis Brown because of the kind of person he was. He was the humblest man you would ever meet in your life. He was always there to help another artiste, another producer, anyone. He would take the shirt off his back and give it to you, and those are the individuals we must celebrate”.

Lincoln said that because of how Brown lived his life, his colleagues in the industry have never hesitated to be part of any event that would pay tribute to his genius. He revealed that when getting artistes to commit to performing on the show, they have to be stern on the limit as they are usually bombarded by artistes who want to give of their time. “Artistes come out, and they charge nothing. Each year, we have to turn back artistes because we can’t take on everyone. And if they are not even on the show, they are there just to show their support, and that says a lot about the man being celebrated,” he added. “This human being was not just an artiste, he was an all-round great individual. As great a singer as he was, he was a better human being.”

George Nooks, one of the acts billed for the event, echoed Lincoln’s sentiments. “Dennis Brown was a very dear friend of mine. We were very close. He was a great singer, but also a good human being. He was a very humble brother, just ordinary – even when he was extraordinary. I could say so many good things about him. I have never seen him get mad. I know people will eventually get upset, but as long as I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him upset. He was always calm and happy.”

Nooks says he’s looking forward to paying homage to Brown on Sunday. “I would do anything for Dennis Brown because he was a very good friend. In fact, he was the first person that brought me into a studio. We have done a couple tracks together, and working with him was one of the best experiences of my life. I am looking forward to singing a couple of his songs and just to help to honour him. He sung some nice, nice songs that will live on, and it feels good that we can celebrate him in this fashion.”