The veteran producer is among three Jamaican music icons who will be the recipients of Lifetime Achievement awards from the organizers, Island SPACE Caribbean Museum. The other two honorees are singer Von Wayne Charles, aka Wayne Wonder, and the acclaimed ‘Bad Boys of Reggae, Inner Circle.
Germain will also be presented with a ‘Key to the City of Plantation’ by Mayor Nick Sortal and the Plantation City Council, and with a Key to Broward County by Commissioners Hazelle Rogers and Alexandra Davis.
The Grammy-nominated producer, whose hallmark is excellence, has spent decades in the music business, perfecting his craft while also exploring areas of artiste management and has had a hand in the career of several elite reggae and dancehall acts, including Buju Banton, Tony Rebel and Wayne Wonder.
And, while this next sentence might seem like a digression to some, all who associate with Germain will understand its importance. It actually ought to be in bold; Donovan Germain is a Kingston College old boy with full purple blood and he continues to play an integral role in the life of his alma mater.
“It’s an awesome feeling to be getting a lifetime award and the Key to the City of Plantation and the Key to Broward County all at the same time. I’m really at a loss for words,” Germain said.
Calibe Thompson, president and co-founder of Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, shared why Germain was chosen for this honor.
“Donovan Germain is a legend among people in the music industry. His production house, Penthouse Records, is synonymous with all our favorite hits from the ‘90s and beyond, and he has made the careers of so many beloved Jamaican performers over the last five decades,” Thompson told The Gleaner.
He added, “We aim to recognize not only the voices people know from the radio, but also the people behind the scenes that make the music happen. Like we celebrated Miss Pat Chin of VP Records last year among our honorees.”
Donovan Germain was born on Nelson Road in Whitfield Town, Kingston 13.
“The studio was on the top floor of the building, hence the name Penthouse,” he explained, adding “Coxsone Dodd was my idol, you knew his sound anywhere you heard it. I wanted that kind or identification too.”
A graduate of New York Community College, Germain worked at a Wall Street stock brokerage firm as a junior accountant while running Keith’s Records, a Brooklyn reggae record shop he had bought.
“I was actually into distribution before I became a producer. I distributed for Gussie [Clarke], Lloyd Campbell and Sonia Pottinger while I lived in New York. Gussie was instrumental in my entry to the professional part of the music business. We went to the same high school [Kingston College]. I learned the art of producing from Gussie and Lloyd Campbell of Spiderman and Joe Fraser labels.”
His first big hit on Penthouse Records was Chaka On The Move by Chaka Demus in 1989.
During his journey, Germain modernized some of the classic Studio One riddims and also produced original riddims like Dickie (1992); Falling In Love (1992); If Loving Was a Crime (1993); Champion (1994); Cannabis Vibes (1997); Warriors Don’t Cry (1997); Love Dem Bad (1997); Up Close & Personal (1997); Extortioners (2000); and Automatic (2008).
Enduring collaborations between artistes such as Buju Banton and Wayne Wonder; Beres Hammond and Buju Banton; and Marcia Griffiths and Cutty Ranks have helped to set Penthouse apart. Germain’s bio reveals that more than 280 artistes have recorded for him since the establishment of Penthouse Records.
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