'even the newest stars are honored'
Carroll Thompson
REAL NAME: Carol Thompson-Adebayo
BIRTH DATE/PLACE:1960,Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England
Thompson sang in school and church choirs as a girl, but initially chose a career in pharmacy. In the mid-1970s, she began working as a backing singer at several recording studios after auditioning for Frank Farian's Sugar Cane group.
Eventually, Thompson embarked on a solo career, with early successes in the shape of lovers rock singles "I'm So Sorry" (produced by the now London-based Leonard Chin) and "Simply In Love", which both topped the reggae chart in 1981, the same year seeing the release of her debut album.
She won two GLR Reggae Awards in 1982, for Best Female Performer and Best Song (for "Hopelessly In Love").[1] In 1983, she won further awards, again winning Best Female Performer at the GLR awards. She also recorded duets with Sugar Minott ("Make It With You") and Trevor Walters ("Love Won't Let Us Wait"), as well as continuing with regular solo reggae chart hits. After the mid-1980s, her releases dwindled.
Her fortunes revived in 1990 when she provided lead vocals on a version of Diana Ross's "I'm Still Waiting", recorded with Aswad and Courtney Pine, which was a minor UK Singles Chart hit.
She also enjoyed minor chart hits that year with Movement 98's "Joy & Heartbreak" and "Sunrise".
In 1993, she worked with Neil "Mad Profesor" Fraser on the The Other Side Of Love album.[2] Carroll is married to the Radio 5 Live presenter Dotun Adebayo.
BIRTH DATE/PLACE:1960,Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England
Thompson sang in school and church choirs as a girl, but initially chose a career in pharmacy. In the mid-1970s, she began working as a backing singer at several recording studios after auditioning for Frank Farian's Sugar Cane group.
Eventually, Thompson embarked on a solo career, with early successes in the shape of lovers rock singles "I'm So Sorry" (produced by the now London-based Leonard Chin) and "Simply In Love", which both topped the reggae chart in 1981, the same year seeing the release of her debut album.
She won two GLR Reggae Awards in 1982, for Best Female Performer and Best Song (for "Hopelessly In Love").[1] In 1983, she won further awards, again winning Best Female Performer at the GLR awards. She also recorded duets with Sugar Minott ("Make It With You") and Trevor Walters ("Love Won't Let Us Wait"), as well as continuing with regular solo reggae chart hits. After the mid-1980s, her releases dwindled.
Her fortunes revived in 1990 when she provided lead vocals on a version of Diana Ross's "I'm Still Waiting", recorded with Aswad and Courtney Pine, which was a minor UK Singles Chart hit.
She also enjoyed minor chart hits that year with Movement 98's "Joy & Heartbreak" and "Sunrise".
In 1993, she worked with Neil "Mad Profesor" Fraser on the The Other Side Of Love album.[2] Carroll is married to the Radio 5 Live presenter Dotun Adebayo.
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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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