S Hotels' Christopher Issa (left) presents a colourful jacket to Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica, Chen Daojiang (right) during a visit to the Jamaica Music Museum in Kingston, recently.
Sharing in the occasion is historian and ethnomusicologist Herbie Miller.
April 20, 2026
S Hotels donates $5 million in music relics to Kingston attractions
KINGSTON, Jamaica — A vintage jukebox has taken centre stage in a major cultural donation by S Hotels Jamaica, with the iconic piece officially handed over to the Jamaica Music Museum as part of a $5 million contribution of music memorabilia to Kingston’s heritage spaces.
The handover ceremony, held last week, formed part of a wider initiative that includes rare artefacts tied to the evolution of Jamaica’s music industry. The event was attended by several key stakeholders, including the Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica.
According to a release, Christopher Issa, CEO of S Hotels Jamaica, said the initiative is deeply rooted in both personal history and a broader commitment to preserving Jamaica’s cultural legacy.
“My grandfather operated jukeboxes across Jamaica in the 1950s, and that formed part of the musical fabric of the country,” Issa said. “We felt it was important that these pieces of history be preserved and placed where the public can appreciate their value.”
Issa also highlighted Jamaica’s post-Independence push toward local manufacturing, noting that jukeboxes once played a role beyond entertainment.
“At a time when Jamaica was developing its manufacturing base, even jukeboxes were assembled here. They helped to distribute music across communities and supported employment,” he said.
The initiative extends beyond the museum, with additional contributions to Trench Town Culture Yard — the former home of Bob Marley. At the site, Issa has donated a statue of Joe Higgs and is funding the restoration of the vintage Volkswagen once driven by Marley, a long-standing attraction.
Executive Director of the Jamaica Music Museum, Herbie Miller, described the donation as both historically significant and reflective of strong private-sector partnerships.
“This is not the first time Mr Issa has supported the museum, and we certainly hope it will not be the last,” Miller said, noting that sustained partnerships are essential to preserving Jamaica’s musical heritage.
He underscored the symbolic importance of the jukebox within Jamaica’s cultural story.
“Receiving a jukebox into the foundation is important because every object in this gallery carries a story,” Miller said. “These are not just machines — they represent how music was experienced, shared, and remembered.”
Miller added that jukeboxes once played a central role in community life across the island.
“People would gather around, select their favourite songs, play them repeatedly, sing along, and create memories. That experience is part of our social history, and preserving it is critical,” he noted.
Among those welcoming the donation was Patricia Chin, co-founder of VP Records, who pointed to long-standing ties between her family and Issa’s.
“Your grandfather was one of the people who helped to start us in business. Both my father and my husband were servicing jukeboxes across Jamaica alongside him,” Chin said.
“That’s where it all began, and more than 50 years later, we remain connected through that history.”
