Richard Branson– By Joe Taysom/Far Out Magazine— Richard Branson might be one of the wealthiest men in Britain, however, it all began with his love of music which was the foundation he used to build what is now an unfathomable fortune. Branson’s business career began when he started a magazine in the 1960s called Student, which interviewed musical stars of the day. He began selling records and undercut high-street alternatives through the publication, which allowed him to accrue a … Read entire article »

By Kevin Jackson— Sanchez (Photo: William Richards)— VETERAN singer Sanchez has not performed on a major stage locally for a while. That drought will be broken on June 25 when he performs on the Jamaica Rum Festival, scheduled for The Aqueduct at Rose Hall, just outside Montego Bay. Sanchez, whose many hit songs include Loneliness, Fall in Love and I Can’t Wait, is headliner for the event which also features Capleton, Romain Virgo, Tessanne Chin, Sevana, Runkus, D Burnz, Kalyra and … Read entire article »

York College presents its first Presidential Medal to VP Records co-founder, Patricia ‘Miss Pat’ Chin O.D.  The medal was bestowed upon ‘Miss Pat’ on Thursday June 2nd at the UBS stadium in Long Island. President Dr. Berenecea J. Eanes recognized Miss Pat as a pillar / staple of the community in bringing the Reggae culture of music to a diverse community.  When speaking to graduates Miss Pat said “in my 60 years of my business I can say that I didn’t choose my … Read entire article »

By Howard Campbell— Audley Rollen In 1967 when Audley Rollen started his recording career, rocksteady was still the craze in Jamaica. The singer has seen, and undergone, his share of changes over those 55 years. On May 25, he released I Need You, his 11th album which he co-produced with keyboardist Jason Farmer. It contains Never Knew Love Till You, a rocksteady ballad that topped reggae charts in South Florida and New York in 2021; and Close to You, another chart-topper in … Read entire article »

Chris Blackwell— ISLAND Records’ head honcho Chris Blackwell shares the stories behind his 60-plus-year career with today’s release of his memoir The Islander: My Life In Music And Beyond, which coincides with his 85th birthday and the 60th anniversary of Island Records’ UK arm launch. Published by Nine Eight Books, the 320-page tome was written by broadcaster and cultural critic Paul Morley who has covered music, art, and entertainment since the 1970s. The work has been described as a peek … Read entire article »

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