jamarchNEW YORK, January 16, 2007–Dennis Emmanuel Brown’s sterling contribution to the development and showcasing of Jamaica’s popular culture, will be recognized again this year at the second staging of a scholarship and awards dinner in his honour here in New York City.
The event is being staged by the Dennis Brown Memorial Organization (DBMO) of New York, a registered not-for-profit entity dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the late singer’s outstanding legacy since 2000.
The scholarship and awards dinner, first held last year, will take place this year on Saturday, February 03, 2007 at 9:00 pm at the Ramada Adria Hotel & Conference Center at 220-33 Northern Boulevard, Bayside (Queens), NY.
This year’s event will recognize some of the personalities that helped to shape Jamaica’s reggae music into a world power as well as the music career of the late ‘Prince of Reggae’ Dennis Emmanuel Brown as a first rate reggae singer for nearly three decades.
The ‘ever ready’ Freddie McGregor, one of Brown’s best known contemporaries will be presented with the organization’s highest honour, the Dennis Emmanuel Brown Lifetime Achievement Award and for his work with the late singer on and off the stage.
Tommy Cowan who managed Brown’s career during one of the critical stretches, will be one of this year’s award recipients. Cowan, along with Glen ‘Capo’ Adams, legendary keyboard player and a ‘D-Brown’ confidante, will be recognized for their contribution to the development of reggae music.
Desmond Young, President of the Jamaica Federation of Musicians (JFM) will deliver the keynote address.
Dennis E. Brown often referred to as “The Crown Prince of Reggae,” was only 12 years old when his career started. He died at the age of 42 years in Kingston, Jamaica, in July 1999.
Junior Ewart, President of the DBMO-New York said that the reggae music industry continues to mourn the untimely passing of ‘D-Brown’.
“Where would reggae music be today without the voice and styling of Dennis Brown,” he asked rhetorically, adding that the late singer was one of Jamaica’s most popular performers who along with ‘Bob’ Marley introduced the world to the popular art form during the decade of the 1970s with a string of top ten hits that make up today’s reggae classics.
Maya Lawrence, an 18 years old, first year computer science student at St. John’s University and the 2006 Dennis E. Brown Scholar, will for the first time present his essay at the dinner dance. Lawrence is a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School. His parents are Jamaican and they reside in the Bronx.
New York based entertainer and recording artiste Teddy Brown, who continues to draw rave reviews for his ‘D-Brown’ imitation, will be the featured guest with the Ruff Stuff Band. Mistress of Ceremonies will be Sharon Gordon, VP of TSO Productions/Kuji Magazine.
Media Writer
