When business people got into music business

WESTERN BUREAU:

WHEN REGGAE Sunsplash pulled out of Montego Bay, it left a huge void. The music festival had pulled visitors into the tourism capital during the traditionally slow summer period and hence boosted the local economy through hotel accommodation, spending with vendors and associated spin-offs.

A group of business people got together and decided that the second city could not afford to lose a festival of that nature and ventured into the business of music.

And in 1993, on relatively short notice, Reggae Sumfest was born.

"Some of us had a little experience staging shows of our own ­ Walt Crooks, Mickey Morris, myself ­ but certainly nothing of that magnitude," Sumfest executive director Johnny Gourzong said.

Nine years later the Festival is firmly established on the international circuit, having paid its dues and proven itself.

The list of the original Summerfest Productions members reads:

Robert Russell

Johnny Gourzong

Mickey Morris

Walt Crooks

Sydney Reid

Godfrey Dyer

Lucille Lue

Barry Jenoure

Arden Griffiths

Nathan Robb

Hugh Thompson

Heinz Simonistch

Josef Forstmayr

David Lindo

Bobbsey Vassell

Rita Simpson

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