Dapperly dressed in a burgundy suit, topped by a sailor’s hat, Edward O’Sullivan Lee Jr was the image of his famous father at the opening of the Bunny Lee Museum in Kingston on February 12.

The facility is a homage to the legendary producer known as Striker, a colourful character who helped shape reggae.

Entertainment minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange, producer Lloyd “King Jammy” James, and former finance minister Omar Davies were some of the well-known individuals who attended the launch, along with Lee’s wife Annette, daughter Bonnie, and son Kirk.

“This is deeply personal. My father was more than a legendary producer, he was a mentor, a pioneer, and a man who poured his heart into the music. He is also my hero and my idol,” said Lee Jr. “For my family, this museum is a way to keep his spirit alive; to let people step into his world, hear his sounds, and understand the passion that drove him. It means the world to us to be able to share his story in a space that reflects who he was, not just as a musical icon, but as a man who loved his family, his country, and his culture.”

The museum is Lee’s former recording studio in Duhaney Park. It is stocked with memorabilia; from his flamboyant outfits and hats to murals of fellow producers Clement Dodd, Prince Buster and Duke Reid, and instruments that belonged to musicians who developed his Greenwich Farm sound, such as Robbie Shakespeare’s bass.

Grange saluted Lee,who died in October 2020 at age 79, describing him as a “serious music man” who contributed significantly to Jamaican culture.

“When they made Bunny Lee they broke the mould. I think what Edward Jr and his family have done is amazing and a fitting tribute to him,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Born and raised in Greenwich Farm, Bunny Lee produced a number 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.

In the 1970s, his Striker label flourished through 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 attending the opening were executive director for Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Lenford Salmon, Michelle Williams of VP Records, musicologist and music industry insider Clyde McKenzie, singer Craigy T, percussionist Bongo Herman, singer/producer Keeling Beckford, producer Trevor “Leggo” Douglas, and artiste manager Bridgett Anderson.