Published:Thursday | March 29, 2018 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
The title "the daughter of", in reference to Natalie Cole, and which was highlighted in last week's article, has become one of the talking points of readers since the publication of the article.The main question asked was, "What is it about Nat Cole...
Published:Friday | March 23, 2018 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
'Technological wizardry' was how one critic described the 1991 recording Unforgettable, sung by Natalie Cole and her dad, Nat King Cole. It took some amount of convincing to let some persons accept the fact that the younger Cole's voice was...
Published:Friday | March 16, 2018 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
When Manley Augustus Buchanan, better known as Big Youth, had his first success as a recording artiste with The Killer in 1972 for producer Gussy Clarke, he was coming off a run of undistinguished singles. They included Movie Man, for Gregory Isaacs...
Published:Friday | March 9, 2018 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
International women's day (March 8) rekindles memories of a host of female artistes who have left indelible marks on popular music.From as early as 1935, Billy Holiday signalled her intention of establishing some sort of gender equality, as far as...
Published:Thursday | March 1, 2018 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
The Jamaica Reggae Industry Association's (JaRIA) annual awards included the names of several outstanding Jamaican entertainers and industry insiders whose contribution can justly be described as inestimable. I think the association ought to be...
Published:Friday | February 23, 2018 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
As we continue to recognise and celebrate the birthdays of entertainers who were born in Black History Month (February), we pay tribute to Nancy Wilson, perhaps the earliest and only performer in popular music, who has also had an impact on the jazz...
Published:Friday | February 9, 2018 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
Alerth Rockford Bedasse is another of the February-born artistes who have made invaluable contributions to the development of early Jamaican popular music.He was crucial to the mento era, having sung lead vocals on the most mento recordings in...
Published:Friday | January 19, 2018 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
When Errol Dunkley made his first record, he was only 11 years old. And it wasn’t an encouraging start for him either because that recording flopped a ska piece done for fledging record producer Prince Buster in 1962 entitled My Queen....
Published:Thursday | January 11, 2018 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
Sam Cooke, Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd, Elvis Presley and David Ruffin - all have two things in common. They were all early outstanding performers in the entertainment business and they were all born in the month of January. So, as we progress...
Published:Friday | January 5, 2018 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
The days of vinyl records have seen a plethora of international hits from across the globe, with countries like the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), and Jamaica being among the front runners.In an interview published in The Sunday...
Published:Friday | December 29, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
The name Vincent Edwards is one that is well known in local horseracing circles. Edwards has been the president of the Jamaica Racehorse Trainers Association for the past 10 years, and previously, was vice president and spokesman since 1971.What may...
Published:Friday | December 15, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
One of the most hotly debated topics in music circles concerns the first recording that was ever done in Jamaica's popular music, other than mento. Mento, which some refer to as Jamaican calypso, and which was very popular along with the American...
Published:Tuesday | December 12, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
One of the most versatile individuals in the entertainment business, Della Reese, passed away on November 19, following close on the heels of Fats Domino, who made the transition 27 days earlier.The multi-talented black female sensation amazingly...
Published:Thursday | November 30, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
The term dancehall has been around in the music business from as far back as the late 1950s. Back then, it referred to lawns, open-air spaces, or Lodge halls, where sound systems blared into the early hours of the morning the sound of Rhythm and...
Published:Thursday | November 23, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
Last week's Music Diaries gave a short insight into Elvis Presley's spiritual leanings. His association with gospel concerts and gospel recordings as a teenager portrayed him as a godly man who would be the last to indulge in racism. Yet, I have...
Published:Friday | November 17, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
Elvis Presley's early life and upbringing were grounded in poverty, after being born into a poor sharecropping family in Tupelo Mississippi on January 8, 1935. His depression-scarred father struggled to feed the family, and eventually had to move...
Published:Friday | November 3, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
The world of entertainment recently lost another stalwart in Fats Domino, on October 24, this year.If ever there was a man of whom it could truly be said pioneered Rock 'n' Roll music, it must be Domino.Most musicologists and music aficionados of...
Published:Thursday | October 26, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
Winston Riley's contribution to the Jamaican entertainment business transcends the boundaries of just being the leader and vocalist with the successful 1960s rocksteady vocal group The Techniques. Riley's stretch spanned an unbelievable 40-odd years...
Published:Friday | October 27, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
Millie Small is among several outstanding Jamaican recording artistes who celebrate birthdays in October. Others include Peter Tosh, Hopeton Lewis, Luciano, Shaggy, George Nooks, Jah Cure, Ziggy Marley, Linval Thompson, Gyptian, and Chronixx.In a...
Published:Friday | September 15, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
The year 1969 was eventful in Jamaica's history. The year saw the sterling system being replaced by the decimal system of dollars and cents. in September. The Wailers responded to the change with the recording The Pound Get A Blow - a recording that...
Published:Wednesday | September 13, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
It is an undeniable fact that reggae music has placed Jamaica firmly on the international music map and has bolstered, in no small way, Jamaica's tourism industry.When we include Larry Marshall into that equation, as the first to do a reggae...
Published:Friday | September 8, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
Jamaica's first lady of comedy, the iconic folklorist, actress, author, vocalist, and comedic social commentator, Dr the Honourable Louise Bennett-Coverley, will be remembered in a number of activities, celebrating the 98th anniversary of her birth...
Published:Thursday | August 31, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
The Chinese have been very much in the headlines in recent times. The apparent over-allocation of contracts to them and their excessive use of their nationals on several construction projects, including bridges, roads and buildings, have become a...
Published:Thursday | August 24, 2017 | 9:54 PMRoy Black
An incorrect and misleading headline in a newspaper led to a Mass of Praise and Thanksgiving Service for popular vintage recording artiste Ernie Smith at The Holy Name of Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Bamboo, St Ann, on Sunday, April 30, 2017....
Published:Thursday | August 17, 2017 | 12:00 AMRoy Black
Although some may not agree that Vere Johns' contribution to nation building was enough to make him a candidate for national hero, there can be no denying that he laid a very important pillar in the establishment of reggae music through his talent...
