One last red rose for Gregory

"Gregory Isaacs was not Bob Marley, he was not Dennis Brown. No, he was Gregory Isaacs." Watching the Jamaican capital hold its breath as the funeral procession passed, the words of former finance minister Omar Davies take on their full meaning. Almost a month after his death, Jamaica paid a last tribute to the now legendary Gregory Isaacs.


After a procession through his childhood neighbourhood of Fletchers Land, a musical tribute concert brought together the cream of the reggae scene. Bunny Wailer, Beres Hammond, Jimmy and Tarrus Riley, the Tamlins, Queen Ifrica, Etana... They all made the trip to salute the memory of the Lovers Rock pioneer at the Ranny Williams Centre in Kingston. Among them, singer Shaggy went on stage wearing one of his "mentor's" hats: "Gregory Isaacs was the first to put me on stage in 1993, and for that I want to show him all my respect."

His closest collaborators and friends took turns sharing with the audience their last moments with the Cool Ruler. All agreed on one point: Gregory Isaacs burned through his life and owned it.


For Clifton Morrison, Gregory Isaacs was the best-loved artist. "In 2005, Isaacs went back on a Jamaican stage. In his white suit he set the place on fire. It was impossible to introduce the next artist. I had to catch up with him on the road. When he told me he was too tired, I suggested he start the song and the crowd would carry on. And the crowd sang for two hours!"

His friend and long-time collaborator read the audience the last words written by Isaacs. "As I am close to the end (...), I think I have lived as best I could and I have no regrets."