All hail Queen Marcia!
All hail Queen Marcia! . All hail Queen Marcia!
The Jamaica Observer
Queen Marcia Griffiths (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

Queen of Reggae Marcia Griffiths was the woman of the moment as she reeled off classics spanning the six decades of her career at a concert held on Sunday to commemorate her milestone.

The love for Griffiths and her music was evident in the seeming thousands who showed up to the event, despite an earlier downpour in the Corporate Area and news of a tropical storm watch being in effect for the island.

As promised, the Hope Gardens-held showcase began promptly at 6:00 pm with hosts Tommy Cowan and Judith Bodley leading the proceedings. They would soon bring out the lady of the evening just minutes after.

Decked in a red ensemble, Griffiths was soon joined by legendary singer Tony Gregory, who looked dapper in a tuxedo. He rendered his hit Gypsy Girl before hailing Griffiths for her contribution to reggae and making his exit.

Griffiths remained on stage for the better part of the entire show, only making temporary leaves for wardrobe changes. Throughout the night, she performed songs, including Young, Gifted and Black; Give Me Your Love (with Cutty Ranks); Dreamland; All My Life (with her son Taf); and Land of Love.

There were a plethora of appearances from the likes of Naomi Cowan, who played Griffiths in the Bob Marley: One Love biopic; Brick & Lace; Skip Marley; Nadine Sutherland; Ras Shiloh; Duane Stephenson; Tanya Stephens; Alaine; Shaggy; Busy Signal; Tessanne Chin; Beres Hammond; Beenie Man — who was only a guest, but ended up on stage; and Buju Banton. Tarrus Riley also appeared closer to the end of the show with a bouquet for the Queen, and fittingly serenading her with his hit She’s Royal.

Stephen and Damian Marley also represented the Marley clan with the former saying, “thank you” repeatedly to Griffiths for her incredible support of their family over the years.

The concert also served as a pre-birthday celebration for Griffiths, who will be 75 on November 23.

She expressed gratitude to her supporters — whom she referred to as her family — for showing up despite the uncertainty of the weather, and thanked God for fairly good conditions.

“Sending messages to the world; teaching, educating, uplifting [and] uniting the world through music. What a feeling to stand on a stage; to reach out and feel positive energy, and sending it back to the people through the medium of reggae music. Thank God,” she said in an address to the crowd.

Added Griffiths: “I just want to say that we’ve been having some real strange weather, but God has been so merciful and so good. I prayed earnestly and I asked God to just give me this day. I’ll never see another 60 – this is the only 60 that I’ll ever see, and God has granted me this wish, and I am so thankful, always and forever.”

The curtains came down with a rendition of the mega hit Electric Boogie. Members of the audience, as well as some of thre performing acts and production crew, joined Griffiths on-stage to do the accompanying dance.

The show ended a few minutes shy of the advertised 11:00 pm time.
Jamaica
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2024-11-05
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All hail Queen Marcia!
All hail Queen Marcia!