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Gregory Isaacs Birthday Celebration 2012

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Gregory Isaacs Birthday Celebration 2012

Gregory Isaacs Birthday Celebration 2012

By Steve James on Saturday, July 21, 2012 - Photos by Steve James - 1 comment

The event took place on July 15 in Kingston.

Sunday July 15, 2012 would have been the 62^nd birthday of the Cool Ruler, Gregory Isaacs. Organized by his widow June Isaacs and the Gregory Isaacs Foundation, the event was titled Gregory Isaacs’ Birthday Celebration “It’s a Hat Affair”. The “cost” of admission was wearing a hat and donating a canned good to aid charity.

The long list of artistes were backed by the two bands who worked with Gregory Isaacs for most of his illustrious career, Roots Radics Band & Lloyd Parkes & We The People. Held at Studio 38 in New Kingston, the lineup featured a number of Jamaica’s finest. Every artiste who graced the stage either sang one of the Cooler Ruler’s hits or one of their own. Among those who had the capacity crowd on their feet were George Nooks, U-Roy and Big Youth who announced that Gregory Isaacs was the first to record him. John Holt sang Love Overdue and noted that it was his favourite song by Gregory Isaacs. The crowd rose to their feet when he asked the audience to sing along and dance with him. Singer Que Que, who grew up with the Gregory Isaacs household, astonished the crowd with his impersonation of the singer in song, dance, speech and his mode of dress and amused the audience with every beat. When the show was brought to an end by Cocoa Tea, Luciano and Jimmy Riley, the audience left with their musical apetite well filled.