Augusta celebrates the 13th Annual Reggae Tribute to Bob Marley this Saturday at Sky City

AUGUSTA, GA - Reggae music has been bubbling beneath the surface of Augusta’s music scene for the past 15 years, said Frederick Benjamin of TRIBe Media and organizer of the 13th Annual Reggae Tribute to Bob Marley at Sky City on Sept. 4.


“The Bob Marley tribute has been for the past 10 to 15 years a barometer for what is happening in reggae in Augusta,” Benjamin said. “It is the only time of the year that we have an event that showcases local talent and brings in some outside talent and lets people hear authentic reggae in the Bob Marley tradition.”

There are so many different styles of reggae music these days, Benjamin said, but this tribute focuses on traditional reggae.
“You don’t really get the opportunity to hear reggae, in the style played by the Wailers, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Steal Pulse and those types of groups,” Benjamin said. “That is why I’m excited every year to go ahead and pull this thing together.”


For the past 13 years, Benjamin has hoped that the Bob Marley tribute would encourage more clubs to feature reggae throughout the year.


“There are very few local musicians who commit themselves to playing reggae,” he said. “Probably the greatest force locally has been the band Kaya, which has Rudy Collins, the bass player. He was one of the co-founders of that group. And Lady D, who has been a mainstay on the Marley tributes for the past 10 years, she was a co-founder of that group as well. They would throw down some of the hardest reggae in the area when they played.”


Lady D will be returning to the stage this year for the 13th annual tribute to Bob Marley.

Final Bob Marley Performance to be Released as Album

Jamaica’s Gleaner looks at the release of Live Forever, the recording of Bob Marley’s last concert.

At the time, everyone in Pittsburgh’s Stanley Theatre knew they were witnesses to history.

Bob Marley stood tall and proud onstage and beckoned them to “Get Up, Stand Up,” and they responded loudly with wo yo yo yo. Later they discovered the history they witnessed was, in fact, Marley’s last performance. Live Forever encapsulates the pure energy of that fateful performance by Jamaica’s most legendary son.

The original live recording, captured on tape by Marley’s engineer Dennis Thompson, has been lovingly preserved and remastered for the 30th anniversary album release exclusively in the Caribbean. Adding to the distinctiveness of the collection-worthy album is the special eco-friendly packaging.

Julian Marley for Potternewton Park, Leeds

Julian Marley has been confirmed as the headliner of this year's Leeds Reggae Concert.

Julian will lead the line-up of acts at UK's biggest free black music event to be held at Potternewton Park in Leeds. Starting 12 noon on Sunday 29th August.

The 35-year-old British-born reggae star will be performing hits from his latest album ‘Awake' which won ‘Best Album of the Year' in the International Reggae and World Music Awards in New York in May and was also nominated for ‘Best Reggae Album' in the prestigious Grammy Awards.

Also appearing at Potternewton Park will be American singer and producer Horace Brown, who has worked with a host of famous rappers and R and B stars in his career including Jay-Z, Puff Daddy, Mary J Blige, Faith Evans, Jodeci and Foxy Brown.

Organised by the Leeds Reggae Concert Committee and Leeds City Council, the free event is now in its 24th year and the star-studded line-up is again expected to attract a crowd of approximately 25,000 people.

As well as the headline acts, the Unity Housing Association Stage will also host a variety of other big-name UK performers celebrating a wide range of musical genres including gospel star Roger Samuels, grime artist Donae'o and reggae veterans Black Slate.

Local Leeds talent will also be given its chance to shine, with those performing including Congolese group The Innovation Band, reggae acts Root One Band and Tuff E Nuff and soul outfit The Moves.

Breakdancers Speak to the Street will also be on hand while new talents Moneque Pryce, Tyrone and Kushi will be performing after impressing during auditions.

With support from local business Unity Housing Association, this year's Leeds Reggae Concert will also feature a big screen showing the event in addition to the usual range of stalls and a wide variety of refreshments available.

A Finance Melt-Down Forced Cancellation of Ottawa Reggae Festival's Final day

The final day of the Ottawa Reggae Festival had to be cancelled after organizer's finances seemed to have dried up.


Kymani Marley who was an headliner pulled out on Saturday. Police and law enforcement officers also stormed the gates to collect monies owed by court order.


An official statement was released Sunday night announcing the cancellation and placing blame on festival founder and president Benjamin Williams.


“In his role of festival president, Mr. Williams’ youth and inexperience caused him to make decisions that were ambitious, and ill advised. His financial decisions were made without consultation, and ended up costing the festival its’ reputation, and put him in ‘over his head,’” the release said.


Sean Paul who wasn't even in the city at the time was also scheduled to perform. Apparently after the deadline for deposit was extended, Paul’s booking agency, Headline Entertainment, didn’t feel the $50,000 performance fee would be met.


Anyone with tickets wanting a refund can call 613-315-4461 or e-mail info@ottawareggaefestival.com.

ITS ON: Seven Sound Systems to Face-Off for this Year's "World Sound Cup"

Excitement mounts, as sound systems from Jamaica, UK, Germany, Japan, USA, Africa prep for this year’s World Promotion UK & BJ Productions “World Sound Cup Clash”. 

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Seven solid sound systems from around the world will take part in this competition. Sound Trooper [Jamaica], King Tubbys [UK], JNR (Wild Card Pick) [UK], Supersonic [Germany], Barrier Free [Japan],  Poison Dart [USA] and title defender Shahamane Intl from Africa. 

This year’s event will take place at the O2 Academy, 211 Stockwell Road, London SW9 9SL

"Reggae on Negril's Beach in Jamaica" tops Inaugural Lonely Planet Awards

Lonely Planet, a popular tourist guide company, has rated and assessed the top tourist destinations in the world for this it's very first ever awards.


Lonely Planet who is 30 years old has discovered that UK vacationers and travelers rate value-for-money accommodation and cheaper travel at the very top of their list. More than 3,500 people voted in the polls which were conducted in association with Explore, an adventure operator.


For 'Greatest Cultural Experience', reggae on Negril's beaches in Jamaica topped Italy's Opera Scene and Cuba's Salsa Dancing.


Over the years Jamaicans have been calling for more attention to be paid to the earning potential of the Reggae Music and its culture. Many believe that is what attracts tourist to the sunny island and not its beaches and hotels.


Other notable victors were the Mayan temples of Tikal, Guatemala was considered the world's best historical experience. The poll also assessed most likely places people would like to emigrate to. New Zealand and Australia were ranked the highest.

Casting Bob Marley: Developing Biopic Inspires These Five Star Picks

In the news today is word of an upcoming Bob Marley biopic from Emmy-nominated director Jenny Ash. The story of the celebrated Rastafarian reggae singer has never been committed to film, though two other projects are reportedly in the works. One had Martin Scorsese attached, though he dropped out, supposedly to be replaced by Jonathan Demme. The other, an adaptation of the book "No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley," is in development at The Weinstein Company. Little has been heard on either project since 2008.

Deadline reports today that Ash, who is up for an Emmy for her work on "America - The Story of Us," is developing a film focused on Marley's year spent in London, in 1977. It was a pivotal time for the reggae singer, as it was the year he was diagnosed with the cancer that would be the cause of his death in 1981. It was also the year that Marley had an affair with Jamaican beauty queen Cindy Breakspeare. Deadline writes that Ash "sees the biopic as a love triangle between Marley, his wife Rita and Breakspeare, whom Ash has spent time with in Jamaica."

Kids create image of reggae legend Bob Marley from records and CDs

Artist Dean Williams with Daniel Piper, 6, Kyle Watkins, 9, and Kitty Butcher, 7, with the portrait of Bob Marley made from vinyl seven inch singles, 12 inch vinyl LPs, CDs and video cassette cases.

YOUNGSTERS in Sleaford have helped to create a large scale image of music legend Bob Marley using more than 1,500 records and CDs.

The masterpiece took community artist Dean The Wizard and 30 helpers three hours to put together at the town's Hub.

This creation formed part of a workshop that links in with the Hub's summer exhibition Let's Play Records which looks at vinyl album art over the years. This exhibition is on until September 5.

Dean, who organised the session to promote the use of recyclable materials, said: "On this occasion I used vinyls and CDs.

NWWRF: Winston Jarrett — We must pray for the new generation of reggae

by Andrew Creasey on August 18, 2010

Winston Jarrett has been around the block. Many times.

Raised in the ghettos of Kingstown, Jamaican before the name Bob Marley was a blip on the global radar, Jarrett has been ripped off by the music industry, screwed over by fellow artists, and seen all his possessions burn down in a fire.

Yet, 40 years into his career, he is still performing live music with a fiery passion and conviction that few can equal. He even has a new album,Bushwacker Gangbangers.

Brought up by the late, legendary reggae pioneerAlton Ellis, music became his only home and family while living in an area of Kingstown, Trenchtown, notorious for its violence and slums.

Grammy-Winning Steel Pulse, Releases New Song for Haiti Charity

Grammy-Winning Reggae Group Steel Pulse Releases New Song for Haiti Charity; Proceeds Fund Solar Electrification for Partners In Health Clinics

Partners In Health (PIH), The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) and Grammy-winning reggae band Steel Pulse today announced the release of Hold On [4 Haiti], a new song composed by lead singer David Hinds and recorded to raise funds for the solar electrification of health clinics for PIH in Haiti. The clinics, operated by Zanmi Lasante, are located in the remote mountain highlands and do not have access to the electric grid. In the aftermath of the January earthquake in Port-au-Prince, the facilities have experienced a rise in demand for health-care services, countered by dangerous fluctuations in fuel supplies needed to operate their generators. 


Steel Pulse has launched a new website, http://www.holdon4haiti.org , where the song is available for download on a donation basis. One hundred percent of donations received will benefit Haiti.