Published in IRAWMA 38th Magazine
Elise Kelly is the voice behind one of Irie FM’s top programs “Easy Skanking”. The veteran broadcaster has won many hats: senior producer, presenter, interviewer and actress over the past 30 years. Elise started out in media reading news segments at the Agency for Public Information (API). Years later she worked as a television producer/host at the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), hosting along with Gary Neita and Diane Lewis, the award winning programme “Night View”. During that time, Elise explored her first love, “acting” parlaying her acting skills on many Jamaica television productions.
Elise’s first time in radio was in 1985 as radio host/announcer on Fame FM. There she says Francoise St Juste ,taught her how to operate a board; the late great Cecile Wilson taught her to be a broadcaster and Narda Manderson taught her how to “stand in her own truth”. She began her journey at Irie FM, one year after the station officially started broadcasting. Elise says this is where her skills developed as a professional host/MC, which led her to hosting Reggae concerts locally and internationally. In addition to hosting Easy Skanking, Elise also hosts “Heart Mind & Soul2Soul” and in-depth interview program. “The programme showcases the indomitable spirit of people, particularly Jamaican people” she says. Through her conversations, Elise added that “serving is her passion, while music, theatre and the arts are her loves; her evolution is her mission and nature is her life”. Elise Kelly’s most treasured and proudest moments is “motherhood” and her sons Dejazmach Tafari and Daniel Orlando are the “wind beneath her wings”
Elise Kelly IRAWMA Award of Honor
Published in IRAWMA 38th Magazine Elise Kelly is the voice behind one of Irie FM’s top programs “Easy Skanking”. The veteran broadcaster has won many hats: senior producer, presenter, interviewer and actress over the past 30 years. Elise started out in media reading news segments at the Agency for Public Information (API). Years later she worked as a television producer/host at the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), hosting along with Gary Neita and Diane Lewis, the award winning programme “Night View”. During
IRAWMA SPECIAL FREEDOM FIGHTER AWARDEE
Published in 38th IRAWMA Magazine Harry Belafonte is a singer songwriter, activist, humanitarian and actor. As one of the most successful Jamaican-American pop stars in history, he was dubbed the King of Calypso in the 1950s. His breakthrough album “Calypso” (1956) is the first million selling LP by a single artist. Belafonte is known for his recording of “The Banana Boat Song” with its signature lyric “Day-O”. He has recorded and performed in many genres, including blues, folk, gospel, show tunes
Joseph Bogdanovich IRAWMA Philanthropist Award
Published in the 39th edition of the IRAWMA Magazine Los Angeles Native, Josef Bogdanovich began visiting Jamaica in the early 1990s before settling in Kingston in 1999. He started his Acid Jazz record label in 1992 ; a year later he founded Downsound Records and released music from an eclectic array of reggae and dancehall artists. The entrepreneur is a KLE Group shareholder, which operates Usain Bolt’s Tracks & Records, the popular Sports bar/restaurant co-owned by the celebrated Olympian. In 2016,
DR EPHRAIM MARTIN – THE UNSTOPPABLE FORCE BEHIND IRAWMA
Dr Ephraim Martin, a 65-year-old native of St Thomas, Jamaica, is best known as founder of the International Reggae and World and Music Awards (IRAWMA), and the Chicago Music Awards (CMA), which are just two of the many events that he has founded, and charted the course for, since 1980. In-fact on October 2, 2016, at the conclusion of the 35th IRAWMA, and his 100th annual entertainment event, set a world record as the only known person alive to have