Burning Spear

Burning Spear is fired up about the direction of reggae. The 61-year-old Jamaican, born Winston Rodney, is a pioneer of the genre.

After years of backing top acts like Sly and Robbie, Dennis Brown and Burning Spear, trombonist Ronald 'Nambo' Robinson gets his place in the spotlight tonight at the Red Bones Blues Cafe in St Andrew.

When Burning Spear's Door Peep was first included on an album, it did not get title billing. Still, its position as the first song on side 'B' of the 1973 Studio One Presents Burning Spear suggested that it was very important.

Reggae legend Burning Spear is not impressed with contemporary reggae, saying Jamaican producers need to get back to basics if the music is to return to its glory days.

Though it's been eons since the Winnipeg Folk Festival was strictly a trad event, it's nice to see a purist take a place of honour on the main stage.On Saturday night, the low rumble of reggae bass thundered across the east end of Birds Hill Park as Burning Spear, the 61-year-old Jamaican roots legend, delivered a timeless message of peace and ...

He is still writing and recording as he always has, but is disturbed about where reggae is heading. Young performers are changing its vibe from an organic music of the people to something more artificial, he says.

Saxophonist Egbert Evans, an Alpha Boys School graduate who worked with performers such as Freddie McGregor and Burning Spear, has died.

Reggae artist Winston Rodney, a.k.a. Burning Spear, won a Grammy for his album "Jah Is Real,'' the first produced on his own record label.

As one of the pioneers of roots-reggae music, Winston Rodney, a Bob Marley protege better known as Burning Spear, has long been a respected figure in music, counting everyone from Bono to B.B. King as fans.

A few weeks ago, I had a conversation via Twitter with Andrew Collins, About.com's Guide to Gay Travel, regarding modern reggae and dancehall music. If you're not familiar with dancehall, it's an upbeat genre of music based on reggae rhythms (or, more precisely, riddims) that features a deejay toasting (rapping) over the top. Musically, it's really fun. Lyrically... well, not so much. There are plenty of dancehall artists whose lyrics are socially conscious and respectful, but the majority of popular artists tend towards slackness, specifically violent homophobia. I've got a pretty decent mental filtration system, and years of practice have put me in a place where I can listen to lyrics that I disagree with and see them as indicators of socioeconomic factors and cultures that are different from my own, but even I can't take some of the more hateful lyrics that directly advocate killing gays and lesbians. It's especially true because Jamaica is one of the most dangerous places in the world for homosexuals, where violent attacks are commonplace and offenders are rarely prosecuted. Going back to my Twitter conversation with Andrew Collins, we both agreed that throwing the baby out with the bathwater is definitely not the solution on this one. My personal strategy is one of a reverse boycott (a girlcott?) - I do buy reggae music and support Jamaican artists, but only the ones who I feel are using their lyrics for good. This is where roots reggae comes in. Roots reggae became a distinct subgenre of Jamaican music in the late 1970s, just as dancehall began to emerge. In those days, roots reggae was the thing: Bob Marley and Peter Tosh were selling massive amounts of records throughout the world, and singing about spirituality, brotherhood, love, the struggles of the oppressed, and other things that, though sometimes controversial, were not directly offensive. There are, in fact, still artists around who are rocking these sorts of lyrics - one of my favorites is Burning Spear. All the reggae rhythms you could want, and nothing hateful or hurtful, unless you're offended by religious or liturgical music - many of Burning Spear's songs are about Rastafarianism, a nonviolent religion. Burning Spear is what I think of as a "legacy artist," though - he's been around since the good old days - there are modern roots reggae artists, as well: Cocoa Tea, Junior Kelly, and Ziggy Marley, just to name a few. What are your thoughts on homophobia in modern Jamaican music? Should people who disagree with these lyrics boycott Jamaican music (or Jamaican exports entirely)? Should we support the artists who don't sing violent lyrics? Should we just go ahead and listen to the slack lyrics and view them a valid expression of an oppressed culture, whether or not we agree? What do you think?

Jomo Kenyatta (who was known to his followers as Burning Spear) and five other co-accused were sentenced to seven years hard labor for their alleged part in the Mau Mau...

02-10-2009 - Burning Music Productions proudly announces that Reggae music icon Winston 'Burning Spear' Rodney (O.D.) has won his second career Best Reggae Album Grammy for his all-new 2008 studio CD release, Jah(read more)

Spear snares Grammy - Roots singing legend Burning Spear notched his second Grammy award for Best Reggae Album last Sunday.

At the 2009 Grammy Awards, Burning Spear walked away with the covetted music trophy for Best Reggae Album 'Jah Is Real' beating out dancehall heavyweights Shaggy, Elephant, Heavy D and reggae icons Lee ...

Olivia "Babsy" Grange, today commended Jamaican singer, Burning Spear, on winning the 2009 Reggae Grammy.

Burning Spear, born Winston Rodney, collects his award for Best Reggae Album for 'Jahis Real' at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, on Sunday. - AP

Burning Spear, born Winston Rodney, collects his award for Best Reggae Album for 'Jahis Real' at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, on Sunday. - AP

BURNING SPEAR, one of the survivors of reggae's golden era, won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The 64-year-old roots singer's Jah Is Real beat Vibes, by singer/rapper Heavy D, Let's Get Physical, by...

With a record 12th nomination for a Grammy Award (most in the reggae genre) and a previous win, Burning Spear was optimistic about his chances. Since the 1980s Burning Spear, whose real name is Winst...

With a record 12th nomination for a Grammy Award (most in the reggae genre) and a previous win, Burning Spear was optimistic about his chances. Since the 1980s Burning Spear, whose real name is Winst...

Reggae artiste Burning Spear last night copped the 2009 Grammy award for Best Reggae album for his CD, Jah Is Real. With a record 12th nomination for a Grammy Award (most in the reggae genre) and a previous win...

Jamaican Burning Spear grabbed the Best Reggae Album award at the 51st annual Grammy Awards last night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

During the mid-to-late '70s, when Bob Marley was at his peak, British record companies rushed to Jamaica and signed up a range of extraordinary acts including Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, the Mighty ...

Burning Music Productions, the independently owned music company run by and home to Reggae music icon and Grammy-winning recording artist Winston ?Burning Spear? Rodney (O.D.) announces the termination of its digital distribution agreement with San Francisco based IRIS (Independent Recording Industry Services) Distribution as of November 13, 2008 based on agreement breaches by the company.

It is impossible to talk about Burning Spear now without talking about Burning Spear then. Four decades and still dropping knowledge: no other artist, with the possible exception of Toots Hibbert, can lay claim to being reggae?s true elder statesman.

Reggae music icon and international recording artist Winston 'Burning Spear' Rodney receives a record eleventh Best Reggae Album Grammy nomination for his new CD, JAH IS REAL .

The 51st Grammy Award Nominations were announced earlier this week, and here are the nominations in the reggae category: a Burning Spear - Jah Is Real a Elephant Man - Leta s Get Physical a Heavy D - Vibes a ...