Donovan Conscious Anderson (left) and Tarrus Riley

Once Jamaica’s leading producer of sugar, Clarendon parish has produced many reggae-dancehall artists such as Toots Hibbert, Derrick Morgan, Cocoa Tea, Freddie McGregor, and Millie Small. With roots in that region, Donovan “Conscious” Anderson salutes their legacy with his ‘Legends Are Forever’ concert on November 29.

The event has a stellar lineup including Capleton, Tony Rebel, Admiral Tibet, Junior Reid, Errol Dunkley, Natty King and Mikey General. 

“My family is from Clarendon and I moved here during the (Covid) pandemic. I saw that there were no shows in Clarendon since Cocoa Tea’s Jam Jam and Everton Blender’s show. That’s when I came up with the idea. I named the Show ‘Legends Are Forever’ because I believe that all real artists are legends,” said Anderson. 

Clarendon, which is also the birthplace of Everton Blender and Glen Washington, was part of Jamaica’s once thriving bauxite industry. The popularity of homegrown artists in the 1980s and 1990s coincided with the emergence of Bodyguard sound system in the parish.

Anderson, who was raised in east Kingston, gave another reason for staging ‘Legends Are Forever’.

“I do not think enough is being done to celebrate our legends and that’s why we need more good promoters to continue the journey like Rebel Salute. That is why I’m also doing this show, to celebrate all our legends,” he said. “It is important that we teach our children at school about our musical legends both present and in the past.”

WRITTEN BY HOWARD CAMPBELL