Category: News

Reggae music . . . the heartbeat of the world and the roots of Jamaica. . .

 

Why reggae music? Reggae music has its roots deep in love, good vibes, spirituality, struggle, and a country of inspiration and hope. I decided to hold our first Reggae Concert at Blue Skies on Heroes Weekend 2022. Seemed appropriate to celebrate the life of Jamaica’s Heroes and my love of Jamaican culture. I was determined to put this concert on, coming out of Covid and “a first of many” for Blue Skies. Every dream starts with a vision, and the vision became an inspiration of helping others and contributing to the continuation of a tradition of Reggae Music in Negril and Jamaica.

From talking to musicians, I quickly learned that reggae artists were getting taken advantage of by producers and not getting any money for their songs or their work. This realization led to me wanting to start a not-for-profit foundation where Reggae Artists would have resources that would protect them and their music. Some musicians have sold their songs for as little as $100US, and sometimes for no money, without getting any commissions or royalties (or “Masters”), and their songs appear on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

 

I decided I wanted to learn more about the music industry. No different than being a lawyer and learning other areas that applied to cases that I litigated, like computer forensics or x-ray machines. So here we go. . . another challenge to take on and make a difference. The two things I love most.

So began the journey of Blue Skies Reggae Foundation, a not-for-profit, charitable organization whose mission is dedicated to supporting the next generation of reggae musicians to help keep the roots of reggae alive and inspiring the world.

 

Through a friend I met Irie Souljah, a young and up and coming reggae artist, originally from Barcelona. He moved to Jamaica over 10 years ago, starting his career as a reggae musician, singer, songwriter. His songs moved me, singing about love, helping others, uplifting, such as “Helping Hand,” https://youtu.be/jfFOuBhxIrQ, . .  . something that has been lost in a lot of music these days, where musicians are singing about guns, violence, and killings. We need more songs that are uplifting and inspiring good in the world.

 

Blue Skies Reggae Foundation has sponsored one of his songs and the video, “What It Feels Like,” to help this young artist make his mark on the world.  

I had also met Swallow, Garfield Williamson, another talented singer, songwriter, with his roots in classic reggae. He got his stage name from the Mighty Diamonds song “When the Right Time Come” (“Right Time”) singing “Swallowfield a guy be now the battlefield” when he was a youth, growing up singing in church. It was fitting as it inspired Swallow’s determination and grit throughout his musical career and his love for old school and classic roots reggae. One of his top songs that hit the radio stations and streaming platforms before the Pandemic is “Lifeline” with DJ Mugsy and Beanie Man. The low-budget video, https://youtu.be/ee41cfJ6tws, was filmed in Negril, just off the white sandy shores of Seven Mile Beach.  

These are two musicians to watch out for as their careers take the winding roads of the music industry. You will definitely want to keep an eye out for them when they hit the big stage and tour! But for now, you can see them performing at Blue Skies on occasion trying out new reggae beats and putting on a great reggae concert.

 

Get your feet in the sand, dance on the beach, and live life to the fullest!  

 

One of the most rewarding experiences happened tonight. I say “one of the most,” because I think the most rewarding experience so far in this journey is my father in proud smiles when he came to Jamaica this year. He saw the work that had been done to the hotel that I bought three and a half years ago and managed through Covid.

 

 

The transformation of a dream and vision. Creating something beautiful where people want to come and chill, adventure, relax, listen to the ocean, listen to reggae music, eat good food, and experience the beauty that Jamaica has to offer with a true love of this Country. 

 

 

I fell in love with the island so much so that 16 years later I decided to buy property here and build a small boutique resort, Blue Skies Beach Resort (nestled right in the middle of 7-Mile Beach in Negril, one of the world-famous beaches), so that I can share my love of the island, its culture, its food, and its rich heritage with people around the world.

 

 

Yes, living here is an adjustment. It is a slow-down. It is exactly what I wanted, which was to make people happy, to bring people joy, and to share my love of the island and its culture.

So back to “one” of the other rewarding experiences, one that happened tonight while I was sitting in the restaurant. Two ladies came into the restaurant and had drinks and dinner. One of the ladies walked up to me and asked if I knew anything about this place. I, of course, said “yes, I think so.” She mentioned that she used to stay here all the time when it was Mariposa before (and maybe as it was going) down-hill. I offered her a tour. Both ladies were just raving about how beautiful the property is, how nice the rooms were, and how good the food was. Sharing my vision of the property and the changes was really special, and one of the ladies could see the changes because she had experienced at least the rooms when it was Mariposa. It really just warmed my heart.

I gave three tours tonight, all made by cheeks hurt from smiling. Peggy, who had been coming for over 30 years, remembered Mariposa and how you would walk in from the beach. She was simply in awe of the transformation.

 

 

As I gave Peggy the tour, I told her about Dennis and Georgia. Dennis and Georgia had been coming to Jamaica for over 30 years, and almost all of those they spent at Mariposa. Dennis called me wanting to rent a room after I bought the property. He mentioned that they always stayed in the room by the restaurant on the first floor. I remember the first expression on Georgia’s face, WOW! She was so blown away of the transformation. Both Dennis and Georgia have been coming almost every year (except for during Covid) and will always have a home at Blue Skies. They warm my heart every time they stay with us.

The dream is coming true. Hard work, dedication, and love have overcome many challenges the last three and a half years.

I am truly blessed, and it warms my heart for people to really love the food and enjoy the rooms and experience the service and what I have tried to create and continue to strive to create.

One Love! And Blue Skies!

 

 

Why Jamaica?

In 2003, I fell in love with Jamaica on my very first visit here. It was my birthday, so a special trip. The weather in May was beautiful, as it always is in Jamaica. I am a scuba diver, so diving was of course part of the plan for the vacation, but I wanted to experience the culture and the island for its true nature. Because it was my first trip, I stayed at an all-inclusive resort, more because I did not know any different. The resort was a bit boring for me, not much to do and no real “culture” of the island to offer. After getting settled on the travel day, and then doing a couple of scuba dives the next day, I decided to do a night dive the following night, the night before my birthday. The dive instructor, Radcliffe Ebanks (aka “Ebi”), who is now a very dear friend of mine and has been for almost 20 years, was an amazing instructor and really showed us the ocean life that resides under Jamaica’s crystal-clear waters.

 

 

I had asked Ebi where a good place to go to see live music for my birthday, as I wanted to get out of the all-inclusive and experience the true nature of the island. He had suggested a little bar down the street, so we made plans for dinner at a little spot in the rain forest, and then to go dancing afterward. It was a perfect plan.

Dinner at the local spot was simply delicious. To this day, I cannot remember the name of the place and wish I had written it down. The curried shrimp was to die for, and we were sitting outside with all the sounds of nature surrounding us, tree frogs chirping, beautiful foliage. . . I could not have asked for a prettier spot to celebrate life.

After dinner, we went to this little bar, “Take It Easy” outside of Runaway Bay, a British owned little pub. We thought there would be live music, but it was a DJ. The place was packed, and everyone was dancing. I love to dance! My partner at the time does not dance. So Ebi and I danced while he sat at the bar and made friends with a local Rastafarian. I was the only white woman in the place, but no one seemed to care. Jamaica’s national motto is “Out of Many, One People,” which comes from the fact that Jamaica is a multi-racial society. You see this when you travel the island that there are people of all color, white, light skinned, through the rainbow to very dark skinned. One of the beauties of Jamaican culture is that most Jamaican people do not see you for the color of your skin and racism is a foreign concept.

It was a birthday that stands out as one of the best in my memories. And that is when I fell in love with this beautiful island that has so much culture and life to offer.

 

 

I fell in love with the island so much so that 16 years later I decided to buy property here and build a small boutique resort, Blue Skies Beach Resort (nestled right in the middle of 7-Mile Beach in Negril, one of the world-famous beaches), so that I can share my love of the island, its culture, its food, and its rich heritage with people around the world.

 

 

Editor’s note: Please note that I do not encourage people to travel anywhere in the world without taking measures to be safe and to travel smart. It is best to travel with a guide or someone that you know that knows the island. We offer guides and drivers at the resort so that you can have the best and most fulfilling experience and travel safely.