Tribute To The Reggae Legends Festival
For 33 years, the Tribute to the Reggae Legends Festival (formerly known as Bob Marley Day) has been an annual event in San Diego, California, USA. This year, the annual festival, one of Southern California’s largest reggae events, will be held on Monday, February 17, at the Valley View Casino Centre (San Diego Sports Arena).
This year, the event’s organisers, WorldBeat Productions, has created the ‘Reggae Legends Hall of Fame’, which is to be housed inside the WorldBeat Cultural Centre, Balboa Park. This institution will honour the legacy of foundation reggae artists, dead or alive. To be inducted this year are Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Gregory Isaacs, Junior Murvin, Jacob Miller, Mikey Dread, Lucky Dube, Don Carlos, Sly & Robbie, Horace Andy, Earl Zero, Sister Nancy, and Willi Williams.
REGGAE PIONEERS
WorldBeat Productions has spearheaded taking reggae to San Diego, with Peter Tosh, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Bunny Wailer, Mikey Dread, Black Uhuru, Steel Pulse, Burning Spear, Lucky Dube, Jimmy Cliff, and the brightest stars from Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia among those whom they have presented.
Festival founder Makeda Dread was a personal friend of Bob Marley and after the Gong passed in 1981, created the Bob Marley Festival in his honour. Bob Marley Day was first held at the International Blend on 30th Street, and then it was moved over the following years to the Jackie Robinson YMCA, Carpenters Hall, North Park Theatre, and Adams Avenue Theatre.
As the event’s popularity increased, WorldBeat teamed up with Moss Jacobs, who used his expertise and professionalism to take the event to large-capacity venues such as the San Diego Concourse (Golden Hall) and the California Theatre. After reaching its capacity in these venues, it was time to take the Bob Marley Day festival to the San Diego Sports Arena.
After consistently presenting capacity shows for more than 10 years, Bob Marley Day transformed into what it is now known as Tribute to the Reggae Legends, in honor of all the great reggae artistes who have passed over the years.
For the original report go to http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140121/ent/ent4.html
