LUCKY seven, Marley magic, just plain talent, call it what you will, but producer/artiste, Stephen Marley triumphed over brother Julian, Awake (Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Republic); Buju Banton, Rasta Got Soul (Gargamel Music, Inc); Gregory Isaacs, Brand New Me (Tad’s Record) and Sean Paul, Imperial Blaze (VP/Atlantic) to take home the Reggae Grammy at last night’s 52nd annual awards at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.

It was in 2008 that Stephen won the Grammy for his critically acclaimed debut solo album, Mind Control. Always in demand as a producer, Stephen switched hats, stepped to centrestage and proved that he is as talented an artiste as he is in the production arena.

For many, it came as a surprise to learn that Stephen, having won a Grammy for Mind Control, was eligible to submit what appears to be essentially the same album for Grammy consideration. This time, Mind Control is listed as Mind Control — Acoustic and it has won the artiste/producer his seventh statuette.

Naturally, this will only give support to those who hold on to the popular belief that once there’s a Marley nominated in the Reggae category, then the Marley name is going to win the Grammy, regardless of the calibre of the other albums nominated in the category. This, however, is not so.

In 1986, the second year the Reggae Grammy category was introduced, Jimmy Cliff won for his album Cliff Hanger beating out the other nominees, including the Melody Makers featuring Ziggy Marley who were nominated for the album, Play the Game Right.

In 1992, when Shabba Ranks’ As Raw As Ever captured the Reggae Grammy, Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers were also nominated for their Jahmekya album.

In 1994, Inner Circle took home the Grammy for Bad Boys. Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers were also nominated for Joy and Blues.

Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers were among the nominees in 1996 for the album Free Like We Want 2 B, however, it was Shaggy’s Boombastic which won the Grammy that year. The Marley brothers, however, won back-to-back three consecutive years. In 2006 Damian Marley won for Welcome to Jamrock, the single of which was a blockbuster hit. Ziggy’s Love Is My Religion got the Grammy nod in 2007, while Stephen’s Mind Control picked up the Grammy in 2008.

Last year, no Marley was nominated and the Grammy went to Burning Spear for his offering Jah Is Real.

The reality is, however, that the Marleys are a talented, disciplined group of artistes who clearly have maximum respect for their craft and for the continuation of their father’s musical mission.

Stephen has an illustrious track record and is in fact the reggae artiste with the most Grammies. His credentials include laying down tracks for heavyweight artistes including Erykah Badu, Spearhead, Eve, brothers Julian, Ziggy and Damian and reggae/dancehall act Buju Banton.

The Reggae category was created for the 1985 awards ceremony. Congrats to Stephen and all the other nominees in the category. In a sense, they are all winners.