Marcia Griffiths was about to take the stage at Summer Jam in Cologne, Germany, Sunday when she spoke with the Jamaica Observer about being recognised by the Government with the national honour of the Order of Jamaica.

“I’m so overwhelmed. I’ve been in the music business for 60 years and I thank God every day for seeing me through. I also thank the fans, because without them where would I be,” she said.

Griffiths is one of six to be invested with the Order of Jamaica, the country’s fourth-highest honour, for 2023.

She was previously invested with the Order of Distinction (Commander and Officer class), the country’s fifth and sixth-highest awards, respectively.

The West Kingston-born singer has rarely been off the charts since she started recording at Studio One in the mid-1960s. Her hits cover rocksteady (Melody Life, Mark My Word, and Feel Like Jumping), roots-reggae (Stepping Outa Babylon, Dreamland), pop (Electric Boogie) and dancehall (Land of Love, Fire Burning).

As a member of The I Three, Bob Marley’s harmony trio, Griffiths sang on some of the reggae king’s biggest albums including Rastaman Vibration, Exodus, and Kaya.

Neville Garrick, who was also a pivotal member of Marley’s inner circle, has been honoured with the Order of Distinction (in the rank of Commander) for “contribution to Jamaica’s music, art, and culture locally and internationally”. Garrick designed several of Marley’s album jackets for Island Records, including Rastaman Vibration and Exodus.

Clive “DJ Kool Herc” Campbell, the Kingston-born sound system innovator widely hailed as the father of hip hop, will also be honoured with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander.

Singer Owen Gray, whose career started in the late 1950s, is to be invested into the Order of Distonction in the rank of Officer. One of the first artistes signed to Island Records, he was ecstatic during an interview with the Observer from his London home.

“I’m so blessed and I’m feeling proud! I want to thank all involved for remembering who I am,” he said.

In addition to recording hit songs such as Patricia and Please Let Me Go, Gray was mentor to Millie Small, best known for My Boy Lollipop, the 1964 international hit song.

Members of the entertainment fraternity to be invested into the Order of Distonction at the rank of Officer for service are singers Tarrus Riley and Wayne Marshall; actor-playwright Lenford Salmon; and Justine Henzell, founder and organiser of Calabash Literary Festival.