Stories by Roy Black

Reggae Month 2016 is finally here, and people of various persuasions - from romantic lovers to music lovers, churchgoers and the culturally inclined - are preparing themselves in different ways for the many events and anniversaries that dominate the...

The idiom 'The chip doesn't fall far from the block' relates in a very real way to the lives and careers of Nat 'King' Cole and his daughter Natalie Cole. The younger Cole passed away at age 65 on New Year's Eve, from what was initially diagnosed as...

Gospel music may perhaps be one of the things that one would not readily associate with Elvis Presley, but in a real sense, it was an integral part of his make-up. Presley himself once said, "Gospel music is the purest thing there is on earth."This...

Like all the giants of Rock and Roll's first generation, Lavern Baker began her career long before the explosion of Rhythm and Blues music. History has it that the day she was born, there was a parade in Chicago, the town of her birth. It was not a...

Many musicologists agree that most of Michael Jackson's dance moves were highly influenced by the 1950s R...

Winston 'Sparrow' Martin, musical director of the Alpha Institute (formerly, Alpha Boys' School), has sought to keep the musical legacy of the institution alive through a number of personal projects which could rebound to the benefit of the school....

The name Merritone has become synonymous with vintage-music lovers, not only in Jamaica, but across the diaspora. The year 2015 is an important one for the organisation, as it celebrates two important milestones - the 65th anniversary of Merritone...

It was mentioned in a previous article that the history of Jamaica is reflected in its motto, 'Out of Many One People'. The same could be said of its rich musical heritage, which has seen many whose origin lies outside Jamaica making lasting...

The smooth-voiced American-born singer, Johnny Nash celebrated a birthday last Wednesday and perhaps it is as good a time as any to look at the life and times of this music icon and examine the contribution he made to the spread of reggae music...

One of the features of 1960s Jamaica was the infiltration of foreign vocal groups into the musical culture of the island. Alongside popular local stars of the era like Jimmy Cliff, Eric 'Monty' Morris, Derrick Morgan, Stranger Cole, Delroy Wilson...

The Jamaican music of 1962 mirrored the mood of a people who had transitioned from colonial rule to independence. Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Derrick Morgan, Toots Hibbert, Delroy Wilson and Stranger Cole are just a few of the artistes whose songs...