Dear Editor,

The whole world is in mourning as yet another of our musical heroes has passed on. This year has been one of reflection and hopefully redemption for our music and musicians. Sugar Minott passed early this year. He was one of the pioneers of reggae music. He had a positive impact on our international reputation and his music will live on because of the conscious vibe. The message of his music was hope and love. He was not duly rewarded based on the “vampire system” that plagues our music.

Yesterday, October 25, 2010, we witnessed the death of a friend and son of Jamaica, Gregory Isaacs, born in Fletchers Land on July 15, 1951. He rose to fame in the early 1970s and has for decades released positive music. This man overcame the many obstacles that inner-city youths faced daily and helped to put his country through the power of music on the map. Reggae music originated from the heart of the ghetto, the bowels of the poor, young men and women continue to be disenfranchised in Jamaica. This further indicates that if these youths get the opportunity they can contribute positively.

The passing of our musical icons should be seen as the inevitable changing of the guard, and the music being produced today by young upcoming musicians must be done with the same sense of respect for our people and country . Gregory Isaacs crossed the colour divide with his music groups like Simply Red, and UB 40 English bands copied his song and it went on the billboard charts.

Isaacs has been an ambassador for Jamaica for many years and was cast in many Jamaican films like Rockers, which depicted the struggles of musicians in the early days. Pioneers of reggae music were not mercenaries but were missionaries of music because they were not paid royalties.

They sacrificed family on many occasions to travel around the world to promote the music, often filling stadiums and arenas without proper compensation. Young artistes should feel privileged because they do not have the same obstacles or barriers that early musicians faced. The music they promoted should be continued by our youths because the road they are currently travelling leadings nowhere other than cancellation of visas and strife in the country and the music arena.

My condolences to the Isaacs family and may God bless and keep his children. Mr Isaacs’s body will be returned to the island and I hope the government will bury him in National Heroes’ Park for his contribution to nation building through the power of music.

Rev Tanasha Buchanan

tanashabuchanan@yahoo.com