Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Natoya Morrison was one of the first persons to greet Tommy James on his arrival for his farewell, held at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel on Monday. - photos by Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

They came to roast Tommy James; and to praise him!

One of the faces, and definitely the voice of Life of Jamaica (LOJ) for over a decade, Tommy James was fêted by colleagues past and present as well as close friends and family who came out to the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel to celebrate his retirement from LOJ.

In true roast fashion, the jokes about James were in abundance. Everyone knew him as a last-minute man in that, whatever project he was working on, would be complete; just at the last minute. Karl Williams, who will be taking over his post, commented that James once said, "Better to be a last-minute man, than a oneminute man!"

And so the toasts and roasts began. Heather Robinson related an event where she told James a few 'choice' words at which a normal man would cringe. James merely told her what a turn-on it was to hear bad words. Rosemarie Heaven said she had never seen James angry - something that made most people in the audience nod in agreement.

His colleague from American Life Insurance Company (ALICO) days, Danny McCalla, told a couple of James' signature jokes and laughed about the time James wore mismatched shoes to an event. President and CEO Richard Byles marvelled that James had not been to the barber in 20 years as he cuts his hair himself. "And speaking of hair, we hear Tommy is a 'well-polished' man; you fill in the blanks," he said to howls of laughter.

Serenaded by Judi Emanuel

When you're this energetic, why retire? Tommy James shows he's still got the moves at his farewell roast as he shakes a leg with entertainer Judi Emanuel.

Bearing in mind his love for music (he's had a few recordings in his time), James was serenaded by Judi Emanuel, a singer whose talents he had spotted while she was still in high school. She got him out of his chair to boogie to Aretha Franklin's R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Only the late James Brown would have showed better footwork than James.

A short video of James told his story. Born in Dominica, he served in the West India Regiment before joining the Jamaica Defence Force. He went into life insurance in 1970 and has never left. Colonial Life Insurance, ALICO and LOJ have all been touched by his expertise. MC for hundreds of events, his voice is regularly heard on radio on 'This Business Of Life' radio programme. James has seven children and 10 grandchildren.

Sharing the good vibes at James' farewell roast are (from left) Mark Chisholm, Anthony Roberts, Danny McCalla and Oliver Jones.