by Howard Campbell
[SOUTH FLORIDA] – The Jamaica Joanna Marie Espeut was born in was chomping for change. A socialist politician named Michael Manley became prime minister in 1972 and threatened the country’s middle-class status quo.
Despite the political turmoil of the 1970s, the Kingston-born singer remembers Jamaica then as “the place you would want to live and raise a family.”
Known in South Florida circles as Joanna Marie, she has made a name in the Jamaican community as a singer, musician and business-woman.
Of French descent, the Espeut family have been in Jamaica for over 150 years. Her great grandfather, William Bancroft Espeut, brought the mongoose to the country from India in 1872 to help fight the spread of rodents.
An uncle, George Espeut, competed as a bodybuilder for Jamaica at the 1948 Olympics in London.
Joanna Marie’s upbringing was typical for people Jamaicans refer to as uptowners. She attended Sts Peter Paul Prep School, Hillel Academy and Holy Childhood High School in Kingston.
“Independence and Christmas were the most memorable times. Family was a solid foundation, having a mother and a father in the same home. I was involved in music from a very young age with the likes of Louise Bennett, (singer) Ainsley Morris and having (singer) Vic Taylor and (pianist) Leslie Butler as my mentors,” she recalls.
Music Is My Life
Music has been a big part of Joanna Marie’s life since age four. Her first professional gigs came eight years later, performing with Morris’ band.
She regards that period as a special time in her life.
“In my pre-teens, Jamaica was the place to be. I was involved in a lot of events as a musician and young artist. Performed and played keyboards for most of the events at my schools. My enjoyment was the (Harbour View) drive-in theater because we would go there every week to drop off plantain tarts that my mother catered for there and ended up watching movies!” Joanna Marie exclaimed.
Along with singer/producer Ed Robinson, she started Reggae Global Radio two years ago. Although she has called the United States home for over 35 years, Joanna Marie’s fondest recollections are of Jamaica in the early 1980s.
“To go back in time for me would be 12 years-old when I started to work and tour with Ainsley Morris playing keyboards,” she said.
