Sonia Eloise Pottinger will be remembered for her trialblazing effort in the local music industry.This was the popular sentiment expressed during her thanksgiving service at the St Andrew Parish Church on Friday.

Her pioneering role as the first female record producer in the history of Jamaican music was the theme running through all the tributes in memory of the 79-year-old affectionately called Ms P, who passed away on Wednesday, November 3.

Mrs Pottinger was referred to repeatedly throughout the well-attended service, as a pace-setter and one of the most important Jamaican women in the music business. In essence they all observed, like the Minister of Culture Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange noted, that entertainment is still a male-dominated business, but thanks to the guidance, inspiration and leadership of Sonia Pottinger, women have been able to rise.

“Sonia opened up the doors for female artistes and won recognition for women as producer and CEOs in the industry. She paved the way for women to enter the industry at the level of producer and manager. I like to think of her as the heroine of local music, who in the face of adversity displayed such courage, such creativity and sacrifice for the development of lives, careers and the music industry,” Grange, herself a former producer said, in her tribute read by Colin Leslie.

“Ms P love life and lived life to the fullest. She was a dynamic, generous and loving woman. Love her children and grandchildren with a passion. Sonia Pottinger will be missed by so many many people, not only in Jamaica but across the world,” shared family friend Constance Kerr in the Remembrance.

“We come to celebrate the life of one who was a lover of music and a Christian disciple of Jesus Christ. This aspect of her life must not be overlooked,” the Rev Major Sirrano Kitson said before adding that from deep rural St Thomas comes Sonia Pottinger breaking the glass ceiling for women by penetrating a male dominated music industry.

And in keeping with the way she lived her life, the musical tributes for Sonia Pottinger were as awesome as the none musical reflections. Judy Mowatt was at her best with her rendition of Eye On the Sparrow, while well known saxophonist Tony Green seranaded the spirit of Mrs Pottinger with his instrumental offering of her first hit, Every Night by Joe White and Chuck. Kevin Williams lived up to the title of Cantor (chief singer) of the ecclesiastical choir. He amply demonstrated performing his musical duties on well known songs for such occasion, as All Things Bright and Beautifuil, The Lord Is My Shepherd (Happy Wanderer version), Great Is Thy Faithfulness, The Holy City (solo), and The Lord Dance.

The Energy Plus Mento Band which hails from Spanish Town, added a measure of vitality and spirit before and after the solemn ceremony with a medly of secular and religious tunes like Rock and Come In, All Who Believe In Love, I’m Going Home on the Morning Train, One Sweet Day (When Life Is Over), I’m Going Walk the Street of Glory and Christ So Real to Me to mention a few.

In attendance a number of music industry insiders from home and abroad. They were Patricia Chin of VP Records, and her son Chris, South Florida-based Jamaican journalist/broadcaster Vonnie McGowan; veteran producers Lloyd ‘Joe Fraser’ Campbell (the original “Spiderman”); Alvin Ranglin of G G Records, Donovan Germain, Norman Bull Puss Reid, Junior Dodd; president of the Jamaica Federation of Musicians (JFM) Desmond Young, studio engineer Errol Thompson; veteran singers Rev Carlene Davis along with husband Tommy Cowan, Barbara Jones and Leroy Brown from the Emotions, group used to be produced by Ms Pottinger. Also spotted in the congregation were some radio personalities Hol Plummer, Henry Stennett (formerly of RJR) and Roy Black.