Post by finbar on Jul 12, 2010 15:08:56 GMT
This news hit very hard in our home yesterday. Reggae music has lost a true champion whose recorded works will live on, but that is only one part of his legacy. The world has lost a decent, caring person, who stood tall like a giant because of what he did for others around him. My wife and I will remember him for as long as we live, and forever be indebted to him for the kindness he showed us.
Sugar's Kingston base at 1 Robert Crescent is only a stones-throw from RJR-FM (Radio Jamaica Rediffusion), but in the mid 80's, you could find more reggae music activity going on in his yard then you could on RJR's airwaves. His sound system, Youth Promotion, was almost always strung up in the yard, and local youths would try lyrics on the mic with hopes of carrying some of that evening's entertainment. Sugar's family all held working positions that varied from cleaning the sound amps and boxes to manning the front entrance gate. Everyone had something to do with maintaining "Youth Promotion", which was more than just a geographical location, a record label, and a sound system.....it was a mind-set and mantra, a way of living.
My girlfriend and colleague Beth Lesser and I used to visit his yard regularly because it was a happening place, and always looked forward to these visits because of the vibes. It was a pure music yard, and perfect for conducting interviews for the magazine (Reggae Quarterly) and radio show (Reggae Showcase). You might see a young Yami Bolo plucking out a song on the guitar,or Jah Stitch, the sound's selector, cleaning records in the shade. Artists were always passing through, even if they weren't recording for Sugar, because the vibes were so nice. You often heard people say that Sugar has "the vibes", something that isn't easy to understand without meeting the man, but very apparant if you did.
Sugar used to ask us when we were planning to get married, and we always responded with "one day we will". Upon hearing this for the umpteenth time, he told us that if we weren't married the next time we visited, he was going to do something about it. We arrived back a few months later, and upon entering the yard, he immediately asked if we were married yet. Upon hearing that we weren't, he quickly left the yard, and then returned stating that he had his mother's pastor all lined up for the job, and that we could have the wedding at Robert Crescent in a few days. That would give him enough time for preparations, which we started discussing in detail. Bishop Reid, from Maxfield Avenue, would do the ceremony at 1:00 PM, and then the sound would play for an afternoon dance. We would then come back for an evening "open" dance that Sugar would keep in honour of the day. It all sounded like a good idea, with every aspect of it feeling more than right.
News seems to travel fast everywhere, but in Jamaica it travels even faster. We soon got a call from Barry G, who we already knew because I did radio link-ups with him, and he asked us to guest on his show the day before the wedding. He commented that many people travel to Jamaica to marry, but this was somewhat different. After that, many people committed to coming to the dance, and they did, the yard was rammed. Yellowman, General Trees, Jack Ruby, Junior Byles (carrying red roses) and many other artists that we met over the years appeared, and some even did some live stuff on the microphone.
On the day of the wedding, we appeared at Sugar's as planned, and the proceedings were about to start in the living room. Bishop Reid conducted the short ceremony, with Sugar grinning ear-to-ear throughout. When it came to signing our marriage certificate, Sugar insisted that he do the honours, and we capped it off with a glass of Apple wine. With the sound all fired-up and ready to play, Jah Stitch started a "sentimental" set, that included The Hamlin's "Soul & Inspiration", Michael Prophet's "Here Comes The Bride", and Marcia Griffith's "Truly". Sugar told Stitch to play the version, and he picked up the mic to do his own sweet rendition of "Here Comes The Bride". It's hard to convey in simple words how overpowering this, and all his gestures were to us.
The dance that evening was fantastic, special in so many ways. About 4 hours were recorded by Stitch on cassette, as well as the afternoon segment, which he gave these to us as a gift the next day. While we also have lots of pictures as mementos, I only wish the day was video-taped. Sugar later told us that he could tell that we were in love, and that people should get married as means of showing commitment.
Some 24 years later, we are still together, and even more in love than before, but Sugar is no longer here. Just a few short months ago we were joking about visiting for our 25th anniversary, and that the youths are all now old.
Many will remember him for his music, which speaks for itself, but Beth and I will always remember his kindness. Whenever I think of Sugar, there are two mental images that I will always carry: one will be of his gapped-tooth, ear-to-ear grin during the ceremony, and the other of how you would often see him emerge in the morning immediately after opening his eyes, and wash his face in chalice smoke, the same way people desparately lunge for their morning coffee. He used to sing passionately about the youth, herb, dancehall, and love itself, and he wasn't joking.
May he rest in peace, and his vibes inspire forever.
- Dave Kingston (finbar), July 2010
Sugar's Kingston base at 1 Robert Crescent is only a stones-throw from RJR-FM (Radio Jamaica Rediffusion), but in the mid 80's, you could find more reggae music activity going on in his yard then you could on RJR's airwaves. His sound system, Youth Promotion, was almost always strung up in the yard, and local youths would try lyrics on the mic with hopes of carrying some of that evening's entertainment. Sugar's family all held working positions that varied from cleaning the sound amps and boxes to manning the front entrance gate. Everyone had something to do with maintaining "Youth Promotion", which was more than just a geographical location, a record label, and a sound system.....it was a mind-set and mantra, a way of living.
My girlfriend and colleague Beth Lesser and I used to visit his yard regularly because it was a happening place, and always looked forward to these visits because of the vibes. It was a pure music yard, and perfect for conducting interviews for the magazine (Reggae Quarterly) and radio show (Reggae Showcase). You might see a young Yami Bolo plucking out a song on the guitar,or Jah Stitch, the sound's selector, cleaning records in the shade. Artists were always passing through, even if they weren't recording for Sugar, because the vibes were so nice. You often heard people say that Sugar has "the vibes", something that isn't easy to understand without meeting the man, but very apparant if you did.
Sugar used to ask us when we were planning to get married, and we always responded with "one day we will". Upon hearing this for the umpteenth time, he told us that if we weren't married the next time we visited, he was going to do something about it. We arrived back a few months later, and upon entering the yard, he immediately asked if we were married yet. Upon hearing that we weren't, he quickly left the yard, and then returned stating that he had his mother's pastor all lined up for the job, and that we could have the wedding at Robert Crescent in a few days. That would give him enough time for preparations, which we started discussing in detail. Bishop Reid, from Maxfield Avenue, would do the ceremony at 1:00 PM, and then the sound would play for an afternoon dance. We would then come back for an evening "open" dance that Sugar would keep in honour of the day. It all sounded like a good idea, with every aspect of it feeling more than right.
News seems to travel fast everywhere, but in Jamaica it travels even faster. We soon got a call from Barry G, who we already knew because I did radio link-ups with him, and he asked us to guest on his show the day before the wedding. He commented that many people travel to Jamaica to marry, but this was somewhat different. After that, many people committed to coming to the dance, and they did, the yard was rammed. Yellowman, General Trees, Jack Ruby, Junior Byles (carrying red roses) and many other artists that we met over the years appeared, and some even did some live stuff on the microphone.
On the day of the wedding, we appeared at Sugar's as planned, and the proceedings were about to start in the living room. Bishop Reid conducted the short ceremony, with Sugar grinning ear-to-ear throughout. When it came to signing our marriage certificate, Sugar insisted that he do the honours, and we capped it off with a glass of Apple wine. With the sound all fired-up and ready to play, Jah Stitch started a "sentimental" set, that included The Hamlin's "Soul & Inspiration", Michael Prophet's "Here Comes The Bride", and Marcia Griffith's "Truly". Sugar told Stitch to play the version, and he picked up the mic to do his own sweet rendition of "Here Comes The Bride". It's hard to convey in simple words how overpowering this, and all his gestures were to us.
The dance that evening was fantastic, special in so many ways. About 4 hours were recorded by Stitch on cassette, as well as the afternoon segment, which he gave these to us as a gift the next day. While we also have lots of pictures as mementos, I only wish the day was video-taped. Sugar later told us that he could tell that we were in love, and that people should get married as means of showing commitment.
Some 24 years later, we are still together, and even more in love than before, but Sugar is no longer here. Just a few short months ago we were joking about visiting for our 25th anniversary, and that the youths are all now old.
Many will remember him for his music, which speaks for itself, but Beth and I will always remember his kindness. Whenever I think of Sugar, there are two mental images that I will always carry: one will be of his gapped-tooth, ear-to-ear grin during the ceremony, and the other of how you would often see him emerge in the morning immediately after opening his eyes, and wash his face in chalice smoke, the same way people desparately lunge for their morning coffee. He used to sing passionately about the youth, herb, dancehall, and love itself, and he wasn't joking.
May he rest in peace, and his vibes inspire forever.
- Dave Kingston (finbar), July 2010