The Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) hosted the annual Honour Awards show on Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022. For the second consecutive year since the show’s establishment in 2009, the JaRIA Honour Awards was presented in a predominantly virtual format to lovers of Jamaican music and entertainment on JaRIA’s online platforms.
JaRIA honoured the exceptional contribution of twenty-six (26) industry stalwarts and icons in 16 categories [see the full list below]. While the majority of categories were selected by the rigor of the awards selection committee, two of the most anticipated categories were decided by public votes; Song of the Year and Breakthrough Artiste of the Year.
In celebration of Jamaica’s 60th year of independence, JaRIA also introduced the Diamond Jubilee Commemorative Award, which will recognize Jamaica’s national hero The Right Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey, as well as national icons, The Honourable Robert Nesta Marley (Bob Marley) and The Honourable Louise Bennett Coverley, for their contribution to the advancement of Jamaican music, language, culture and philosophy across the globe.
The engaging show featured musical tributes arranged by Michael ‘Ibo’ Cooper, Ewan Simpson, Alex Martin Blanken, Everol ‘Stingwray’ Wray and Dean Fraser, as well as performances by Hector ‘Roots’ Lewis, Dean Fraser, Jah Lil, Knixx Taylor, Irie Kreshna, StingWray, Nickette Morgan-Williams, Deon Silvera and Steven Golding with the full musical support of the JaRIA JamRock Orchestra. The event also featured hosting appearances by specially selected frontline workers, farmers, entertainers, educators and transportation workers.
THE JaRIA HONOUR AWARDS – 2022 WINNERS:
1. A LIFE OF DEDICATION TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY – LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
- PAMA RECORDS
2. EXTRA ORDINARY IMPACT ON THE REGGAE INDUSTRY – MENTORSHIP
- EARL CHINNA SMITH
3. EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE REGGAE INDUSTRY – POSTHUMOUS
- HOPETON LEWIS
- LEE “SCRATCH” PERRY, OD.
4. EXTRA ORDINARY IMPACT ON THE REGGAE INDUSTRY – ENGINEER
- ROHAN DWYER
- PAUL BARCLAY
5. EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE REGGAE INDUSTRY – PRODUCER
- TONY KELLY
- NEIL FRASER ‘MAD PROFESSOR’
6. EXTRA ORDINARY IMPACT ON THE REGGAE INDUSTRY – SOUND SYSTEM
- LLOYD MATADOR
- MIGHTY CROWN
7. EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE REGGAE INDUSTRY – MUSICIAN (INSTRUMENTALIST)
- HUX BROWN
- DAVID MADDEN
8. ICON AWARD – ARTISTE/ MALE
- BARRINGTON LEVY
- JACOB MILLER
9. ICON AWARD – ARTISTE/ FEMALE
- J. C. LODGE
10. ICON AWARD – DUO/GROUP
- THE ABYSSINIANS
11. EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE REGGAE INDUSTRY – BAND
- RUFF CUTT BAND (UK)
12. EXTRA ORDINARY IMPACT ON THE REGGAE INDUSTRY
- RADIO/TELEVISION: WINFORD WILLIAMS
- GOSPEL: NADINE BLAIR
- PRINT MEDIA: RIDDIM MAGAZINE (Germany)
- NEW MEDIA: JAMAICANS.COM
13. EXTRA ORDINARY IMPACT ON THE REGGAE INDUSTRY – PROMOTER
- LYNVAL GIBBONS (TEEN SPLASH)
14. EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE REGGAE INDUSTRY – SONGWRITER
- MICHAEL “MIKEY” BENNETT
15. ICON AWARD – GOSPEL ARTISTE
- GLACIA ROBINSON
- JERMAINE EDWARDS
16. GREGORY ISAACS FOUNDATION AWARD – ALBUM DESIGNER
- NEVILLE GARRICK
17. SONG OF THE YEAR
- AMBITION – YAKSTA
17. BREAKTHROUGH ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- JOBY JAY
DIAMOND JUBILEE COMMEMORATIVE AWARD
- HON. ROBERT NESTA MARLEY OM (BOB MARLEY)
- HON. LOUISE BENNETT-COVERLEY
- HON. MARCUS MOSIAH GARVEY SR. ONH
