Former prime minister and music producer, Edward Seaga, compiled an album to mark Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of independence. It’s called, Reggae Golden Jubilee: Origins of Jamaican Music. Host Michel Martin speaks to Mr. Seaga about what he sees as the 100 most significant songs to emerge from the country.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
I’m Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. The island nation of Jamaica is celebrating 50 years of independence this year. While the country may be small in size, it has clearly had an outsized impact on music and culture around the world and, as a measure of the importance of music to the country and to the world, none less than the former prime minister of Jamaica, Edward Seaga, has curated a collection of what he sees as the 100 most significant songs to emerge from the country since independence. It is called “Reggae Golden Jubilee: Origins of Jamaican Music.”
And the former prime minister, the honorable Edward Seaga, is with us now. Welcome. Thank you so much for speaking with us.
EDWARD SEAGA: Thank you.
MARTIN: Now, your involvement with this project is not as much of a stretch as some might think for a former head of state, given that you are actually a former record company owner and producer yourself. Back in 1960, you produced a hit called “Manny Oh.” Let’s hear just a little bit of the song and then we’ll talk about it.
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