Morgan Heritage Receives Reggae Icon Award

Legendary Grammy Award-winning group, Morgan Heritage, has been honoured by the Government for outstanding contribution to the evolution and growth of Jamaican music and its worldwide popularity.

The group was presented with the Jamaica Reggae Icon Award by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness and Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, during the staging of the Independence Day Grand Gala on August 6 at the National Stadium in St. Andrew.

Members of the group, which is comprised of siblings, received citations that outlined their contribution to reggae music and charted their course in the industry.

Mr. Holness lauded Morgan Heritage for keeping the Jamaican flag high with good music.

“On behalf of a grateful nation, we want to say thanks. I am very pleased that we have sought to acknowledge Morgan Heritage, which is one of the groups, in my opinion, that have been carrying the flag very high for inspirational, cultural, and conscious reggae music. In other words, you could call them authentic,” the Prime Minister said.

The group expressed gratitude for the recognition, and paid homage to their late father and reggae artist, Denroy Morgan, before thrilling the crowd with hits such as ‘Don’t Haffi Dread’; ‘She’s Still Loving Me’; ‘Down by the River’; ‘What We Need Is Love’; and ‘Reggae Bring Back Love’.

Morgan Heritage is a Jamaican reggae band formed in 1994 by five siblings – Peter “Peetah” Morgan, Una Morgan, Roy “Gramps” Morgan, Nakhamyah “Lukes” Morgan, and Memmalatel “Mr. Mojo” Morgan.

The citation, read by Director of Arts Development and Training at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), Andrew Brodber, said the family of music creators epitomises not just sustained quality “but a Jamaican grounding with deep roots that are interwoven with the very fabric of the Jamaican music form”.

“Their collective genius culminated in 13 studio albums, each a resounding testament to their creative brilliance and unwavering dedication,” the citation read.