'even the newest stars are honored'
Althea Hewitt
REAL NAME: Althea Hewitt
BIRTH PLACE: Jamaica
SHE GREW UP IN MUSIC IN THE INNERCITY. “I DON’T REGARD WHERE I COME FROM AS ‘GHETTO’ BECAUSE I STRONGLY BELIEVE IT’S A MENTALITY!” SHE SAID.
HER FATHER, WHO IS A GUITARIST, WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE ‘HIPPIE BOYS BAND’. SHE STARTED SINGING IN CHURCH, AT CAMPERDOWN HIGH SCHOOL'S BARBECUES AND THEN HER DAD’S BAND ‘THE MIGHTY CLOUDS’. YES, SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH SINGING.
HER FIRST RECORDING WAS A SONG CALLED 'SWEET LOVE' BY ANITA BAKER. SHE HAS GAINED A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND RESPECT OVER THE YEARS. ALTHEA DID CLASSICAL AND POP VOCAL TRAINING, VOICE AND SPEECH, DRAMA, AND DANCE LESSONS. SHE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THEATRE PRODUCTIONS AND A SINGING QUARTET CALLED 4TH STREET SISTA FOR MANY YEARS.
“ALOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT THE MUSIC BUSINESS IS PRETTY BUT IT'S ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE. YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR DUES AND SOMETIMES THAT MEANS BEING FINANCIALY IN THE ‘RED’ AND MENTALLY ON THE EDGE. IF YOU WANT IT BADLY ENOUGH YOU HAVE TO STICK IT OUT, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOVE IT. IT’S A CAREER YOU HAVE TO MASTER.” SHE SAID.
NOW, ALTHEA IS A SOLO ARTIST SIGNED TO VP RECORD COMPANY ANOTHER LEG OF HER LIFE HAS BEGUN.
BIRTH PLACE: Jamaica
SHE GREW UP IN MUSIC IN THE INNERCITY. “I DON’T REGARD WHERE I COME FROM AS ‘GHETTO’ BECAUSE I STRONGLY BELIEVE IT’S A MENTALITY!” SHE SAID.
HER FATHER, WHO IS A GUITARIST, WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE ‘HIPPIE BOYS BAND’. SHE STARTED SINGING IN CHURCH, AT CAMPERDOWN HIGH SCHOOL'S BARBECUES AND THEN HER DAD’S BAND ‘THE MIGHTY CLOUDS’. YES, SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH SINGING.
HER FIRST RECORDING WAS A SONG CALLED 'SWEET LOVE' BY ANITA BAKER. SHE HAS GAINED A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND RESPECT OVER THE YEARS. ALTHEA DID CLASSICAL AND POP VOCAL TRAINING, VOICE AND SPEECH, DRAMA, AND DANCE LESSONS. SHE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THEATRE PRODUCTIONS AND A SINGING QUARTET CALLED 4TH STREET SISTA FOR MANY YEARS.
“ALOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT THE MUSIC BUSINESS IS PRETTY BUT IT'S ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE. YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR DUES AND SOMETIMES THAT MEANS BEING FINANCIALY IN THE ‘RED’ AND MENTALLY ON THE EDGE. IF YOU WANT IT BADLY ENOUGH YOU HAVE TO STICK IT OUT, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOVE IT. IT’S A CAREER YOU HAVE TO MASTER.” SHE SAID.
NOW, ALTHEA IS A SOLO ARTIST SIGNED TO VP RECORD COMPANY ANOTHER LEG OF HER LIFE HAS BEGUN.
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RWW FASHION FEATURE - 'BRIDGET SANDALS'
Novia McDonald-Whyte - Contributing editor Jamaica Observer
Sunday, December 07, 2003
Sandals designer Bridget say "Bridget sandals" in Jamaica and fashion watchers, as well as lovers of sexy leather straps, will smile the smug smile of those in the know. It has been, for Bridget Brown, (known by thousands as Bridget), a journey of twenty-odd years. The fact is, the leather soles of her sandals almost left her barefooted on several occasions. "It took me three years," Bridget tells SunDay to get my feet off the ground. I paid the price for not going to school. I had to endure artisans not cutting the leather properly, bad work attitude, sabotage, you name it, I went through it."
A baptism of fire, some might be tempted to add for the former Playboy Bunny. "I was a bunny between 1972 and 1977 at the Playboy Boscobel Beach," says Bridget, flashing her signature toothy smile, and still conscious of that bunny poise.
"Playboy was forced to close (no tourists were coming to Jamaica). I was forced to come back to Kingston. I had to find some means of survival. My first stop was G's One of a Kind -- an upscale boutique that sold one-of-a kind Italian shoes and clothing. I left that in May 1981, after Bob Marley's death. I sold pound-cloth for Carmen Brown of Karmen's Corner. "There I was with my scale underneath my arm, and my cushions at my side. I really never wanted to make sandals. I also made skull caps and crochet bags."
Start she did and never looked back. Bridget even found the time and finances to attend school in Milan. "I went to school out of curiosity. I wondered if I was doing something wrong. Little did I know that I was in fact doing something right. My customers are happy, the sandals are fitting right, and I, too, am satisfied. I admire what I am doing."
No idle boast. Bridget Sandals were on the runway at New York Fashionweek, and Caribbean Fashionweek. Bridget Sandals are in Barbados, St Kitts, Antigua, Lincoln Avenue, South Beach (Miami), in the Village (New York) and at Controversy -- Battersea London.
Come next season, there's the possibility of a shipment to Japan, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, and Dallas.
"You have to be skilfull to survive. It has been a 20-year fight for survival. It's a struggle to maintain quality, confidence, style, craftsmanship. Finally, you have to have integrity in business."
As the chat comes to an end and Bridget does that Bridget walk towards her taxi, and there's a feeling that the very best is still to come from this beautiful sister.
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