George Reggae Barrett Celebrating another milestone 31 Years on Vancouver Coop radio 102.7 FM, 25 years on CITR 101.9 FM Radio Host Dj, Concert Promoter. Sound system Operator.
Born and raised in the oldest inland Town in Jamaica, Bath St Thomas, about 45 miles from Kingston. My passion for reggae music came at an early age. My home where my mother runs the family business was next door to Robert’s Night Club and Tavern. On the weekends they held big dances in the Night Club. As a boy, I could not go to the dances but I used go into the club and watch them string up the sound system before the dance starts. In the Tavern by day, Calypsonian Count Lasher used to grace the bar with his music. In those days I used to listen to sound systems such as Barlow Sound, Daddy Nick, Mellow Canary, Merry tone Disco, Danny Lou, and Phoenix the Ghost. About the age of 12, I decided to keep a kids dance in my back yard and I invited some of my friends. I used some of my mother’s Salt fish and Red Herring box as my equipment. I heat half inch steel iron on the fire and used it to burn marble size holes in one side of the Red Herrin box then I fill the holes with different colour marbles. Then I put lighted candles in the box so it would look just like and amplifier that I saw over at the club. For the speaker, I bore a lot of holes in the Salt fish box; I put two of my friends Ricky and Mickey in the box and I told them to sing out loud. Everyone was laughing to hear the boys sing. The first human speaker was invented.
As a young boy, I always like to make model of some of the things that I saw. In the early sixties, my mother sent me to trade school to be a Radio Repair Technician. One weekend, a friend of mine who lived in Kingston came to visit his parents. He told me about a company in Kingston called Jamaica Electrical Supply Company (JESCO) that was looking for a Radio and TV technicians. I went for an interview and I got the job. Living in Kingston provided great opportunities for me to check out the record shops and go to some of the big dances around the city. Some of the sounds that I used to listen to were, Sir Coxson Down Beat, Duke Reid the Trojan, Super Tone Sound, Lloyd Bells, Lloyd the Matador sound King Toby’s King Patrick the dub Master, VeeRocket, Tom the great Sebastian these are just to name a few. My favourite band was the Skatalites. On Wednesday afternoon, the place to be was Victoria Pair where Tommy McCook and the Supersonics used to perform. On Fridays you could catch me at Barbeque Lawn on Fleet Street listening to Sir, Coxon down Beat with selector King Stitch. On Saturdays, there were several venues that host sound systems, venues such as Liberty Hall on King Street, Jubilee Tile Garden on upper King Street, Forester’s Hall on North Street, and 14 and 17 Windward Road. Sundays, the hot spot for sound system was Gold Coast Beach on the St. Thomas Road with King Toby’s with selector U. Roy.
I used to make extra money buying pre-release records from various record stores and take them to the country side and sell them to sound systems operators; you could call me a record juggler. In 1969, I built an amplifier for a friend of mine (Sacro Disco) He did not have a place to store the disco, so I kept it at my home. In the evenings when I got home from work, I would set up the disco and play music in the yard. In 1970, I left my job at JESCO to operate my own business. I opened a record shop and Radio and TV repair at 20 Charles Street Kingston. Shortly thereafter, I began producing records. My first production was at Randy`s Recording studio 17 North parade in Kingston. The group was Gladstone and the Riders; the studio musicians were Aston Family man Barrett, Carlton Barrett, Tommy McCook, Robby Shakespeare and other musicians. We recorded 6 songs and some instrumental dub tracks; the big tune was Dem Laughing which was released on my Shanty Tramp recording label. Back in those days they called me GB the producer. In 1972, I migrated to Canada Vancouver British Columbia; to join my wife Daphne, I brought along my two daughters, Bridgette and Melissa with me and a large wooden box full of 45 singles and LP records. In Vancouver I worked as an Electronics Technician for Sears.
Due to my passion for Reggae music, I started a sound system call Wadada Hi- Fi playing for Caribbean parties, banquettes, weddings and other social events. My first gig was just before Christmas in 1972. This exposure brought me to the attention of Alex Bosgart who introduced me to the organizers of Vancouver Coop Radio CFR0. 102.7FM. On August 27th 1976, I started the first Reggae Radio Show in Vancouver BC. Saturdays 6 pm 8.30 pm.www.coopradio.org. On air phone 604 684 7561. The reggae show has had a number of co-host over the years, Jim Burnett, John Chaoon, Collin Hepburn, Melissa Barrett, Donald Daws and Mark Chow. My present co-host is Louie Sutherland. On November 1982 I started my second reggae radio show, on CITR 101.9 FM, The Rockers Show Sundays 12 noon to 3 Pm. The rockers Show took its name from the classic reggae movie rockers. Log on and check out at www.citr.ca on air phone 604 822 2487, Log on to my 24/7 internet radio at www.reggaefereal.com.
Over the years I have had a number of co-hosts Jerry Toon, Melissa Barrett and Mike Cherry. Now I host the show by myself. Every February for the past 20 years, I produced and host a Vancouver Birthday Bash in memory of the late Bob Marley. In 2000 and 2003 I was selected to presents a seminar on reggae music at Music without Borders, for the high school kids at Britannia Secondary School. The seminar was base on the different types of reggae music and the culture, Over102 children were in attendance. Over the last 25 years I host a reggae night every Wednesdays at Graceland night club, Cafe Deux Soliel. Currently reggae night is at the Royal Canadian Legion Auditorium 2205 Commercial Drive, With Wadada Hi-Fi Sound.
AWARDS 1986 Canadian Reggae Music Awards An appreciation Award for outstanding and dedicated services in the field of reggae music.
1989 Canadian Reggae Music Award Certificate of Merit for outstand work in the field of reggae music.
1993 (The Congress of Black Woman Canada Pioneer Award category) Award for Contribution In Paving The Way For Others To Follow.
1999 Caribe-Wescan CC For Outstanding Community Contribution in Broadcasting.
1999 The Canadian Reggae Music Award - The Peter Tosh Memorial Award (Record Breaker)
George Barrett received an honourable mention for his contribution on the Peter Tosh Honorary Citizen 3 CD box set.
