Guinness honours recording studios
In honour of Guinness Sounds of Greatness'(GSOG) 15th anniversary, Guinness honoured seven recording studios for their tremendous contribution to the dancehall culture. Representatives of the brand visited the studios to present commemorative replicas of the iconic Guinness Harp in appreciation of the studios and their principals’ contribution to culture.
The seven studios honoured were Penthouse Studio, Gargamel Studios, Bobby Digital Studio, Arrows Recording Studio, Stone Love, Downsound Records, and Jammy’s Recording Studio.
“Without recording studios, there would be no dancehall. Furthermore, without studios, there would be no dubs, which are the core sound clashes. We wanted to express gratitude for their work and dedication in keeping sound clash culture and dancehall alive. These studios are the heart of dancehall’s past, present, and future,” said Guinness Junior Brand Manager Ben Sinclair.
Donovan Germain, owner of Penthouse Studio, expressed his gratitude for the award. Said he: “I appreciate it. It means that they have seen the work that I’ve done. I’m happy that they support our craft and acknowledge the contributions that studios have made to Dancehall and Jamaica.
Carrying on the legacy of his father Bobby Dixon, Sheldon “Calibud” Stewart, co-owner of Bobby Digital Studio, shared that he was appreciative of the award, especially since the studio is often overlooked. He remarked, “I would like to express my gratitude to Guinness for honouring us with this award. Everything I know about music and sound systems is through my father. We did not go to a performing arts school; we learned by doing and hearing. My father was never one to do anything for recognition or praise. He just wanted to make his mark where he could and bring joy to others. I want to maintain his vision and I know he would have been happy to see his hard work being recognised by a brand like Guinness.”
GSOG 2023 concluded on July 7 at the Fisheries Car Park, downtown Kingston, where Jugglin’ Masters walked away as the ‘Nex Gen’ champion.
