'even the newest stars are honored'
JC Lodge
REAL NAME: June Carol Lodge
BIRTH PLACE: England
British born to a Jamaican father and English mother, J.C. Lodge was taken to Jamaica as a child. There, the Beatles’ fan soon became immersed in R&B and reggae, and sang along to everything she heard.
He was a budding songwriter, and used her voice to present some of his material to Joe Gibbs’ Recording Studio. Both the songs and the singer were well received, and J.C. was asked to cover ‘Someone Loves You, Honey’ in 1980. The reggae-country and western tune topped the Jamaican charts worldwide, and earned the singer gold and platinum discs in the Netherlands. Such success convinced J.C. that music should be her main direction.
Nine albums followed, consisting mostly of reggae, but some with R&B and pop material, too, usually written by O’Meally or J.C. Producers like Joe Gibbs, Willie Lindo, Gussie Clarke, Errol O’Meally and Neal Fraser (a.k.a. Mad Professor), created product which garnered for J.C. several hits and prestigious awards across the world.
‘Telephone Love,’ recorded for Clarke in 1988, was the first dance hall reggae track to cross over in the R&B and hip-hop markets in the United States, topping the urban charts in New York and other cities. This led to an album deal with hip-hop label Tommy Boy Records and the Tropic of love album featuring the hit R&B single ‘Home is where the hurt is’.
With O’Meally’s influence and the creative opportunities of so many albums, J.C.’s songwriting skill was unearthed and polished. Several Jamaican artistes have sung her original compositions, and she continues to work toward having overseas artistes do likewise. Her varied influences are expressed in both her writing and performances, and she is comfortable in several genres, whether it be reggae, jazz, pop, R&B or country and western.
The birth of her daughter Gia in 1994 has inspired 3 children’s educational albums. The popularity of these drew the interest of Jamaica’s national Television station – TVJ, who asked J.C. and her manager/producer/husband – Errol O’Meally to produce a 13 part children’s television series entitled ‘Sing ‘n Learn’.
For 2007 JC's long-awaited new album of originals, entitled 'Passionfruit', will feature bang up-to-date rhythms, underpinned by dancehall, but with a a touch of brazilian, asian and hip-hop influences blended to enhance her crossover vocals.
BIRTH PLACE: England
British born to a Jamaican father and English mother, J.C. Lodge was taken to Jamaica as a child. There, the Beatles’ fan soon became immersed in R&B and reggae, and sang along to everything she heard.
He was a budding songwriter, and used her voice to present some of his material to Joe Gibbs’ Recording Studio. Both the songs and the singer were well received, and J.C. was asked to cover ‘Someone Loves You, Honey’ in 1980. The reggae-country and western tune topped the Jamaican charts worldwide, and earned the singer gold and platinum discs in the Netherlands. Such success convinced J.C. that music should be her main direction.
Nine albums followed, consisting mostly of reggae, but some with R&B and pop material, too, usually written by O’Meally or J.C. Producers like Joe Gibbs, Willie Lindo, Gussie Clarke, Errol O’Meally and Neal Fraser (a.k.a. Mad Professor), created product which garnered for J.C. several hits and prestigious awards across the world.
‘Telephone Love,’ recorded for Clarke in 1988, was the first dance hall reggae track to cross over in the R&B and hip-hop markets in the United States, topping the urban charts in New York and other cities. This led to an album deal with hip-hop label Tommy Boy Records and the Tropic of love album featuring the hit R&B single ‘Home is where the hurt is’.
With O’Meally’s influence and the creative opportunities of so many albums, J.C.’s songwriting skill was unearthed and polished. Several Jamaican artistes have sung her original compositions, and she continues to work toward having overseas artistes do likewise. Her varied influences are expressed in both her writing and performances, and she is comfortable in several genres, whether it be reggae, jazz, pop, R&B or country and western.
The birth of her daughter Gia in 1994 has inspired 3 children’s educational albums. The popularity of these drew the interest of Jamaica’s national Television station – TVJ, who asked J.C. and her manager/producer/husband – Errol O’Meally to produce a 13 part children’s television series entitled ‘Sing ‘n Learn’.
For 2007 JC's long-awaited new album of originals, entitled 'Passionfruit', will feature bang up-to-date rhythms, underpinned by dancehall, but with a a touch of brazilian, asian and hip-hop influences blended to enhance her crossover vocals.
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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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