The Reggae Academy is inviting applications for membership so that practitioners can participate in the nomination of recordings, artistes and producers for the inaugural Reggae Academy Awards set for February 2008.

Practitioners in the music industry who have not yet done so are required to submit their applications for official membership by tomorrow, which is also the closing date for nominations for the awards.

The call for membership goes out to singers, songwriters, record producers, studio engineers, artiste managers, agents, radio personalities, night club owners, deejays and entertainment journalists. The awards will recognise musical projects released between December 1, 2006 and November 30, 2007.

"The Reggae Academy is open to individuals involved in the business of reggae music, and everything is geared towards the staging of the first annual Reggae Academy Awards on February 24, 2008 at the National Indoor Sports Centre," said Carmelita Riley, attorney-at-law and administrative assistant for the Reggae Academy. "There are 34 categories that will be awarded, including two People's Choice awards, and the awards will be voted on by the Reggae Academy members. So we have a deadline for persons to be eligible to submit nominations, and that deadline is October 1."

She said, however, that there will be a second opportunity sometime in December for persons to sign up so that they can vote for their favourite artistes in different categories.

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