Bunny Lee hailed as visionary

Entertainment minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange eulogised music producer Edward O’sullivan

“Bunny” Lee as a visionary whose innovation helped make reggae a creative force. She also saluted his commitment to community and family during her address at his memorial service, which took place last Saturday at roman’s Funeral Chapel in Kingston.

Grange said Lee, who died on October 6 in Kingston at age 79, had a “remarkable life of achievement and service” that benefited his peers in the music industry, many of whom attended the memorial.

“Blessed with a quick wit and a disarming smile, this incredible showman became instrumental in the launching of many consequential figures in the music genre. Artistes with whom he did production work included King Tubby, Bob Marley’s

The Wailers, Sly and Robbie, Peter Tosh, Buju Banton, Beenie Man, The Sensations, The Uniques and Roy Shirley,” said Grange. “The innovator Striker formed an association with King Tubby and King Jammy to forever change Jamaican and modern popular music.”

Legendary sound engineer Osbourne Ruddock, best known as King Tubby, was killed in 1989. But his protégé King Jammy (Lloyd James) was in the congregation alongside fellow music industry stalwarts, including Chris Chin of VP Records; music producers Hugh “Redman” James, Trevor “Leggo Beast” Douglas, Maurice “Jack Scorpio” Johnson; and Tour Manager Copeland Forbes.

The families of singers Derrick Morgan and Max Romeo, who worked with

Lee extensively, were also present.

Tributes also came from Chin, Lee’s daughter Bonnie and daughter-in-law Banacia, music industry consultant Clyde Mckenzie and former Finance Minister Omar Davies. The service was attended by Lee’s wife Annette Wong Lee, six of his children and several of his grandchildren.

A proud son of the Kingston working-class community of Greenwich Farm, Lee moved up the ranks from pitching songs at dances for producers such as Duke Reid to become a music business force by the late 1960s.

His Striker label produced a flood of hit songs, such as My Conversation (The Uniques), Stick by Me (John Holt), Better Must Come (Delroy Wilson), Let the Power Fall (Max Romeo), None Shall Escape the Judgement (Johnny Clarke), and The Gorgon by Cornel

Campbell.

Edward O’sullivan Lee was interred in the same vault as his mother, Ruby May Lee, at Dovecot cemetery in St Catherine.

(Photos: Garfield Robinson) Annette Wong Lee (right), widow of Edward “Bunny “Lee, wipes a tear from her daughter, Tonian Lee’s face at the funeral service for the music producer held at Roman’s Funeral Chapel on Dunrobin Avenue in Kingston on Saturday.

Edward “Little Striker” Lee Jr, son of music producer Bunny “Striker” Lee, is comforted by his mother Annette Wong Lee at Roman’s Funeral Chapel in Kingston on Saturday.

Family friend Kevon Powelll (left), and son Kirk Lee are among the pall-bearers for legendary music producer Edward “Bunny” Lee.