Ken Boothe will not just be celebrating his sixtieth birthday, forty years of it behind the microphone, on 12 April in Queens. On top of all that, he will receive the "Lifetime Achievement Award", an honour saluting the whole career of the man who started out alongside Stranger Cole, for Duke Reid, before bursting out at Studio One.
Ken Boothe will not receive this award alone. Winston "Merritone" Blake will also be honoured for his work. Already an Officer of the Order of Distinction for his contribution to the music industry, the former sound system operator is also the organiser of the "Merritone Amateur Talent" contest, a music talent show that saw the emergence of Beres Hammond, The Mighty Diamonds, Sugar Minott and Jacob Miller.
A birthday is to be celebrated among friends: John Holt, Leroy Sibbles, and Tony Brevitte of the Melodians are announced, backed by New York’s Ruff Stuff band.