The legacy of Byron Lee

With the 50th anniversary of national independence approaching, there is great joy in reminiscing about iconic aspects of Jamaican culture. Music has long pulsated through the veins of our generations with roots stemming far beyond the popular Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff songs.

Songs that bring one back to the fun of Jamaican culture like Jamaica Ska, Tiny Winey, Wings of a Dove, Soca Butterfly, Sideshow, and 54 46 still strike a chord with the youth and infuses rhythms that bring people together.

This is part of our distinct musical identity, an identity, which in part, comes from the efforts of groups like Byron Lee and the Dragonaires; visionaries and ambassadors of our culture who continue to contribute to our music today.

In 1962, upon our independence, Hon Edward Seaga, who was then minister of development and welfare, was determined to find a sound for Jamaica that could be spread to the rest of the world. To accomplish this, he sent two respected artistes; Byron Lee and Carlos Malcolm into the heart of Jamaica to find an iconic sound. Byron Lee brought back a musical vision from the inner city that was unlike any other; sounds created in the throes of Jamaican culture that ultimately launched the country on to the international platform with Jamaica Ska.

Propelled to new heights, the respected dance cover-band of American hits now got the opportunity to represent Jamaica at the New York World's Fair and American Bandstand in 1964, the Unveiling of the Jamaican Flag at 6th Avenue New York, and was presented to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1965.

Byron Lee's love for calypso took him to Trinidad where he was accepted as one of their own and The Dragonaires became a hit on the Trinidad Calypso circuit. Soon after they were voted the "Best Band On the Road", highlighting the respect they gained from true Trinidad Carnival revellers. In 1990 Lee inaugurated the 'Byron Lee Jamaica Carnival' popularising the genre with all walks of life and revoking the thought that Jamaica wasn't a carnival country.

Byron Lee may be known by today's generation as the 'Father of Carnival' but his contribution to the development of Jamaican music goes far beyond his exploits with soca; spanning over five decades filled with styles such as rock & roll, calypso, mento, rocksteady, and dance tunes.

Having laid the groundwork for Jamaican music to spread internationally, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires created an explosion of interest in reggae all around the world.

With a musical reach expanding far beyond our island, Lee's studio Dynamic Sounds produced songs and albums for the likes of Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Roberta Flack, Cat Stevens, Elton John and the Rolling Stones. It was also the site for the famous studio scene with Jimmy Cliff in the iconic movie Harder they Come. Byron Lee and the Dragonaires opened doors for young Jamaicans like Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff to express themselves and enlighten people through music. Their ingenuity and perseverance helped form Jamaica's musical independence and this, above all, is something that everyone can celebrate.