I SAY YEAH! – Jamaica Observer lauds trailblazers
Recipients of the inaugural Jamaica Observer Entertainment Awards Sonny Roberts (second left), andToots Hibbert (third right) display their citations at Tuesday's awards ceremony at the newspaper'sheadquarters in St Andrew. With them are Culture Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange (third left), who gavethe main address; Opposition spokesman on culture Dwayne Vaz (left); Beverley Lashley (second right),who accepted on behalf of awardee Anthony “Chips” Richards; and Jamaica Observer ManagingDirector Julian Rogers. The awards were presented in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the birth ofreggae music.
Entertainment
December 20, 2019

I SAY YEAH! – Jamaica Observer lauds trailblazers

In commemorating reggae’s 50th anniversary, the Jamaica Observer recognised three trailblazers at its inaugural Jamaica Observer Entertainment Awards held at the newspaper’s Beechwood Avenue headquarters in Kingston last Tuesday.

The occasion was attended by government ministers, music insiders, and well-wishers.

Toots Hibbert, Sonny Roberts, and Anthony “Chips” Richards were lauded for their efforts in spreading reggae worldwide. Richards was unable to attend the ceremony.

Hibbert, lead singer of Toots and the Maytals, is the best touring artiste in reggae. His 1969 single Do The Reggay gave the genre its name.

Roberts, a pioneer of reggae in the United Kingdom, is the first black man to open a recording studio in Britain and one of the first persons to distribute what became Afro Beat music in the 1970s.

Richards was recognised for his tireless promotion of reggae in the UK, particularly with Trojan Records.

Here are a few scenes from this memorable occasion.

Jamaica Observer Entertainment Award recipient Frederick “Toots” Hilbbert addressing the audience
Frederick “Toots” Hibbert displaying a citation received at the JamaicaObserver’s inaugural Entertainment Awards held at the newpaper’sBeechwood Avenue headquarters in Kingston on Tuesday. Frederick“Toots” Hibbert displaying a citation received at the Jamaica Observer’sinaugural Entertainment Awards held at the newpaper’s BeechwoodAvenue headquarters in Kingston on Tuesday.
Jamaica Observer Entertainment Awards recipient Frederick “Toots” Hibbert (left)and Frankie Campbell (centre), head of Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes andAffiliates, are amused by a video clip shown to them by Entertainment and CultureMinister Olivia “Babsy” Grange prior to the start of the event.
Broadcaster and Startime conceptualiserMichael Barnett (left) and Kingsley Goodison,music insider and principal of Tribute to theGreats Awards, listening attentively to theproceedings.
(From left) Clyde McKenzie, music industry insider; Dwayne Vaz, oppositionspokesperson on Youth and Entertainment; and Leann Dunkley, executiveadministrator at Downsound Record, paying keen attention.
Entertainment and Culture Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange greeting Jamaica ObserverEntertainment Awards recipient Sonny Roberts at the event on Tuesday.
Veteran Jamaican artiste Toots Hilbert (centre), flanked by Culture Minister Olivia“Babsy” Grange and Jamaica Observer Managing Directror Julian Rogers, displaysa ceramic artwork presented to him by the newspaper at its inaugural EntertainmentAwards on Tuesday. Toots’s 1969 song Do The Reggay gave the genre its nameand has been used as the start date for the popular music form. He was the mainawardee at the ceremony held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth ofreggae music.
Brian Bonitto, entertainment andauto editor, addressing the audience.(Photo: Michael Gordon)
Entertainment writer Kediesha Perry readingthe citations of the Jamaica ObserverEntertainment Awards recipients at thefunction on Tuesday.
Sonny Roberts (centre), displaying a citation he recieved at the Jamaica Observer’sEntertainment Award held at the newspaper’s Beechwood Avenue in Kingston.Roberts, the first black man to open a recording studio in the United Kingdom, isflanked by Jamaica Observer’s managing director Julian Rogers and Olivia “Babsy”Grange, minister of entertainment, culture, gender and sports.
Monica Roberts, wife of recordproducer Sonny Roberts — one ofthree recipients of Jamaica ObserverEntertainment Award, applauding theawardees.
(From left) Ewan Simpson, head of Jamaica Reggae Industry Association; singer Dandy Livingstone; and AndreaDavis, conceptualiser of International Reggae Day, watching the proceedings.

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