Johnny Clarke to receive Bunny Lee Lifetime Achievement Award
Johnny Clarke, the singer whose uptempo songs made him one of roots-reggae’s biggest stars during the 1970s, will be honoured during Reggae Weekend from February 20-22.
The series of events are promoted by the family of Bunny Lee, the flamboyant music producer with whom Clarke had a string of hit singles 50 years ago.
Clarke will receive the Bunny Lee Lifetime Achievement Award on February 20 at the Bunny Lee Museum in Duhaney Park, St Andrew.
Bunny Lee Jr said given their successful tandem, it is fitting for Clarke be the first recipient of an award named in memory of his father who died in October 2020 at age 79.
“Johnny Clarke was one of the artistes Bunny Lee worked with who helped make reggae a powerful, popular sound. When Clarke teamed up with Lee in the 1970s, they created some of Jamaican music’s most memorable songs like None Shall Escape The Judgement and Rock With Me Baby that were loved here and overseas,” he told Observer Online.
“Because of the success they had together, Johnny Clarke is recognised as someone who helped define the sound Bunny Lee was famous for producing.”
Clarke, a past student of Jamaica College, was working at Grace, Kennedy Ltd in 1974 when he hit with None Shall Escape The Judgement, originally done by singer Earl Sixteen.
The unassuming Clarke, who was Lee’s brother-in-law, also scored with songs like Move Outa Babylon and African Roots for the producer’s Striker label.
Founder’s Day kicks off three days of activities in St Andrew. On Saturday, there will be a relaunch of dub master Augustus Pablo’s Rockers International record store at Orange Street.
Also on Saturday, there is an event at Randy’s Museum in North Parade, downtown Kingston. That was the location for many years of Randy’s Records and studio, owned by Randy Chin, founder of VP Records.
Sunday is dubbed Legacy Sunday. Highlights include Kingston Rhythm at Waterfront, a dance at Victoria Pier, and Closing Dub which takes place at the Dub Club (Skyline Drive).
The Bunny Lee Museum, which officially opened one year ago, is Lee’s former recording studio. It is stocked with memorabilia including his flashy outfits and hats, murals of fellow producers Clement Dodd, Prince Buster and Duke Reid, and instruments that belonged to musicians who developed his Greenwich Farm sound.
