700 Strong Concert: Reggae icon, Burning Spear’s special, limited-admittance benefit concert
ST. ANN’S BAY, Jamaica – Hot on the heels of his Grammy-nominated, best-selling CD Our Music, reggae great Burning Spear (aka Winston Rodney) will be giving a special concert to benefit the St. Ann’s Bay Infirmary in his home of St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica on Saturday, August 12, 2006.
The event will celebrate the life and birthday of Marcus Garvey, Jamaica’s first nationally recognized leader.
Spear has led the way musically, in keeping Garvey’s spirit and message alive, and in advocating through his songs. Through the teachings of Garvey, combined with his own life experiences, Burning Spear endeavors to educate, inform, and uplift people around the world with his message of self-determination and self-reliance for all African descendants.
The original “Creation Rebel”, Rodney holds the Marcus Garvey Youth Club near and dear to his heart, as not only the place where got his start – but as a place from which a new generation of Jamaican’s can spring forth and realize a bright future.
He is a longtime benefactor of the center, which offers the youth of Jamaica’s St. Ann’s Bay region a place to learn, grow, and realize their dreams. The center is also home to an infirmary, which provides services to the area’s under served poor and disabled citizens which will be the benefactor of this special concert.
On a recent trip to his home parish, Spear, along with his wife and business partner, Sonia Rodney, visited the Marcus Garvey Youth Club. They were struck by the magnitude of the unmet needs they saw there.
From the youth center to the infirmary, they repeatedly were confronted with striking reminders of the immense poverty which is an everyday reality for so many in Jamaica.
A Word from Burning Spear:
“People of the world, I man spent the holiday home in Jamaica. The Spirit of Marcus Garvey lead me right to Marcus Garvey Youth Club – right on the beach. All I could hear in my head was it’s time for me to get out of Babylon system. Anyone can be Babylon. So come lets us chant down Babylon and be strong.
Looking forward to see 700 people of the world doing their country walk at Marcus Garvey Youth Club in August 2006. Don’t forget to buy a copy of Our Music for yourself and a friend. We have to show the world that roots music can sell. Let’s show the world that we can be move together as one musically.
This is the place where I man got started. I man is requesting the honor of 700 People of the World to witness I man’s first ever performance on Garvey Lawn under the Order of Jah Rastafari.”
