One of the great characters of reggae music, Bunny “Striker” Lee, created magic at his Burns Avenue recording studio in Duhaney Park, St Andrew. A museum recalling the producer’s legacy had a soft launch there on July 1, celebrated globally as International Reggae Day.

The facility is stacked with artefacts that cover the 60-year career of Lee, who died in October 2020 at age 79. They include his signature sailor hats, flamboyant suits, and recording equipment on which he cut many hit songs.

The museum’s walls are adorned by paintings of Lee and his contemporaries, including fellow producers Clement Dodd, Duke Reid, Prince Buster, Leslie Kong, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Lloyd “King Jammy” James, and Chris Blackwell.

Instruments that belonged to bass guitarist Robbie Shakespeare, a key member of Lee’s Aggrovators band; guitarist Jerome “Jah Jerry” Haynes of The Skatalites; and keyboardist Jackie Mittoo are also on display.

Lee’s son, Bunny Lee Jr, said the museum will officially open next February, celebrated as Reggae Month.

“My father is a man dat always give credit where credit is due, so it’s important for me, personally, dat the unsung heroes get their just due. This museum is geared towards telling the story of reggae; how it was created, how it was distributed through the world, how the road was paved, how the industry was created. That’s what this museum is all about,” he explained.

James was the engineer for many of the hit songs Lee recorded for his Striker label. He was formally introduced to the music business by Lee, whose own career started in 1962 as a “plugger” for Dodd, Reid and Kong.

“It’s important for me to be here tonight for more than one reason. Bunny Lee brought me into di business, taught me di business…mi best friend fi life!” James declared.

Born Edward O’Sullivan Lee, Bunny Lee produced a flurry of hit songs during the late 1960s, including Bangarang by Lester Sterling and Stranger Cole, Let Me Go Girl (Slim Smith and The Uniques), and Music Field by Roy Shirley.

He hit his stride in the 1970s, producing hits by Johnny Clarke (None Shall Escape The Judgement, Rock With me Baby), Max Romeo (Let The Power Fall On I), Stick by Me (John Holt), Better Must Come (Delroy Wilson), Zion Gate (Horace Andy), and I Am The Gorgon by Cornel Campbell.

Also in attendance was Lee’s widow, Annette; son Kirk, daughter Bonnie, grandson Abbas; producers Lloyd “John John” James, Craig and David Daseca, Bongo Herman, Craigy T of T.O.K, and Marcus McKenzie, son of local government minister, Desmond McKenzie.

For his contribution to Jamaica’s music, Lee was invested in the Order of Distinction by the Government in 2008.