KINGSTON, Jamaica, - JAMAICAN veteran reggae signer Freddie McGregor has been elected Chairman of the Jamaica Reggae Industry (JARIA).
McGregor, who last performed in St. Kitts in May 2008 at Carnival Village before an appreciative crowd, is joined by several other respected members of Jamaica's music industry on the Board following their elections on Tuesday.
According to the Jamaica Observer, the seven elected members are McGregor, artiste representative Ventrice 'Queen Ifrica' Morgan, producers' representative Stephen Stewart, while Michael 'Ibo' Cooper would represent musicians and Joan Webly to represent youths in the 18-35 age group.
There were also two other persons elected directly from the membership of the association. They are Howard McIntosh of Supreme Promotions and Headline Entertainment's Jerome Hamilton.
JARIA was formed in February 2009 to address some of the constraints facing the music industry, such as access to information, advocacy, business advice or financial credit.
JARIA is the organisational vehicle through which music industry professionals could continuously collaborate with each other and speak as one united, independent collective of interests, the media house added.
McGregor, who is an internationally acclaimed Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and producer, has been in the music business since the early 1960s and is known as one of reggae’s most durable and soulful singers with an incredibly steady career.
He is known for hits like ‘Just Don't Want To Be Lonely’, ‘Bobby Babylon’, ‘I Was Born a Winner’ and ‘Push Comes to Shove’.
Jamaica News