Wiki-wise, "Owen Gray also known as Owen Grey (born 5 July 1939) is one of Jamaica's 'Foundation' singers whose work spans the R&B, ska, rocksteady, and reggae eras of Jamaican music, and he has been credited as Jamaica's first home-grown singing star."
One of the true pioneers of the Jamaican music industry alongside such revered artists as Jackie Edwards, Laurel Aitken, Simms & Robinson, Alton Ellis, and Derrick Morgan, to name just a few, he hasn't yet received the recognition that is due him, particularly from a government which still fails to do the job in honoring these vintage names for their outstanding contributions to the development of Jamaican music.
At 1:00 Friday September 30, be there in Corby's Orbit when Greg Lawson comes in spinning to large up the station with Owen Gray material spanning his career of unique and original musical conceptions.
As the man himself has said : "I'm tellin' you, I'm tellin' you! I said before I go I have to sing a regular reggae in opera, because everything I do from Jamaica is the first, the first, the first, first, first, first. But unrecognised (pauses)... by the government. I've seen artists that comes after me, looooong long after me, they can't even hold a range of a chord today, and they're giving them big awards and all them things! And neither myself nor Bunny Lee get nothing!"
Thanks to Peter I for use of quotations from his thorough interview with Owen Gray at http://www.reggae-vibes.com/concert/owengray/owengray.htm
One of the true pioneers of the Jamaican music industry alongside such revered artists as Jackie Edwards, Laurel Aitken, Simms & Robinson, Alton Ellis, and Derrick Morgan, to name just a few, he hasn't yet received the recognition that is due him, particularly from a government which still fails to do the job in honoring these vintage names for their outstanding contributions to the development of Jamaican music.
As the man himself has said : "I'm tellin' you, I'm tellin' you! I said before I go I have to sing a regular reggae in opera, because everything I do from Jamaica is the first, the first, the first, first, first, first. But unrecognised (pauses)... by the government. I've seen artists that comes after me, looooong long after me, they can't even hold a range of a chord today, and they're giving them big awards and all them things! And neither myself nor Bunny Lee get nothing!"
Thanks to Peter I for use of quotations from his thorough interview with Owen Gray at http://www.reggae-vibes.com/concert/owengray/owengray.htm
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