Tony Rebel’s top four Rebel Salute moments

TONIGHT, THOUSANDS will make their way to Grizzly’s Plantation Cove in St Ann for the return of Rebel Salute, which will take place over two nights — Friday and Saturday — with performances by artistes such as The Abyssinians, Horace Andy, Papa Michigan, Pluto Shervington, Ernie Smith, Glen Washington, Rodney Price, Moses Davis, Capleton, Sanchez, Josie Wales, I-wayne, I-octane, Echo Minott, Luciano, Timoy ‘Teejay’ Jones, Chezidek, Ghananian artiste Stonebwoy, and more.

Promoter, Tony Rebel, shares his most memorable Rebel Salute moments.

1. Garnet Silk’s 1994 performance

For Tony Rebel, the late Garnet Silk’s performance at the first staging of Rebel Salute in 1994 remains memorable. “Garnet Silk’s first performance at Rebel Salute 1994 was a special one. He was on a hiatus from music at the time and returned to perform on my birthday January 15, 1994, in Mandeville at the inaugural Rebel Salute. Rain fell the whole night during the event, and I remember no one moved. We had a capacity for 8,000, and about 15,000 showed up. We had to turn away people,” recalled Rebel.

2. Junior Byles brings audience to tears

Junior Byles’s 2004 Rebel Salute performance reportedly left the audience in tears. “He was suffering from mental afflictions at the time and living on the streets for 29 years. We took him to the doctors, got him some support, and booked him on the show,” said Rebel. Known for timeless hits like Fade Away, Curly Locks, Fever, Beat Down Babylon, Byles took the Rebel Salute stage and performed song after song after song. While many did not know he was responsible for songs like A Place Called Africa, Weeping, and Collie Weed, his performance and all he had overcome moved the audience and industry stalwarts to tears.

3. Jimmy Cliff rocks packed house

At the 10th staging, Jimmy Cliff performed to the then-biggest Salute audience for two and a half hours non-stop. Rebel recalls that the audience was so mesmerised seeing him perform that no one moved an inch.

4. Buju Banton hits the stage in all-white

Buju Banton’s all-white performance in 2007 as he belted hit after hit is another memorable moment that stands out for Rebel.

FILE Buju Banton jumps around on stage at Rebel Salute, held at Sport Kaiser Complex, St Elizabeth, on Saturday, January 15, 2005.

Junior Byles at Rebel Salute 2004, held in January at Port Kaiser in St Elizabeth.

FILE Patrons having fun at Rebel Salute 2019.