'even the newest stars are honored'
Joanna Marie
REAL NAME: Joanna Marie Espuit
BIRTH DATE/PLACE: February 18, 1967
From an early age Joanna-Marie started singing, performing on the then Popular "Ring Ding" TV show hosted by Miss Lou, Jamaica's first lady of comedy.
In 1984 Joanna-Marie now seventeen years old was ready to pursue a recording career. This reality came by way of popular radio disc jockey Clint O'Neil, who found this young woman very talented and was encouraged by her determination. He produced her first single in 1985 called "SINGLE GIRL" and a second "I AM SO THANKFUL" in 1986. Both singles got good air play and introduced Joanna-Marie to the South Florida scene where her first live performance at the Bicentennial Park in Miami, was to a capacity audience of 50,000 where she was well received. During this period she was encouraged to sing in her second language but Joanna-Marie was not yet comfortable singing in spanish. She wanted to be more confident on and off the stage. She was presented with the opportunity to work the club scene with Andy and Billy Vernon. Joanna-Marie took this time to refine her singing and stage work, also had the pleasure of working with Pluto Shervington and this she did for five years.
Joanna-Marie has worked in clubs all over Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. She also performed in Chicago, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Bahamas, Canada and Jamaica. During that time on the road, Joanna-Marie also found time to work in the studio where she recorded "BABY I LOVE YOUR WAY", produced by Inner Circle in 1987.
In 1990 Joanna-Marie linked with Gong Sound Records where she recorded "RHINESTONE COWGIRL" produced by Karl Pitterson. This was when JAH T encouraged her to try singing in Spanish. Joanna-Marie was now ready to try, and as a result she recorded "MI AMOR" her first Spanish single. She now felt confident and comfortable with both languages, and "AGAIN" and "GOOD E NUFF" followed in both Spanish and English.
Joanna-Marie has worked intensively with other artists in the reggae industry, doing backing vocals, live and in the studio for some of the better known names in reggae, John Holt, Mystic Revealers, Prezident Brown, Benjy Myaz, Lee Milo, Mikal Rose, Dennis Brown, Ernie Smith, Mikey Spice and the late Garnet Silk to name a few.
In 1994 Joanna-Marie joined the Kariang Production team, relocated to Jamaica, where she not only continued to work in the Kariang studio on her album but started a business in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. While in the studios at Kariang, Joanna recorded "SEA OF LOVE" one of the first locally produced Spanish reggae songs to be played on Jamaican radio, this single did very well for Joanna-Marie and placed her in a good position for live performances in her home town. Doing stage shows around the island and still finding time to run a successful business, taking care of her children and working with various producers on her first album "SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE" released on the Kariang label in February 1999. The album contains 16 tracks, seven of which are in Spanish and nine tracks in English. Look for it in your favorite record store and get your copy today.
After recovering slowly from an accident June 4th 2005, Joanna has decided that it is time to do her second album. She is very busy at the recording studio of New Creation Records working with David Rowe on her next album. She promises to bring you ALL original lyrics and riddims never heard from Joanna Marie before!
BIRTH DATE/PLACE: February 18, 1967
From an early age Joanna-Marie started singing, performing on the then Popular "Ring Ding" TV show hosted by Miss Lou, Jamaica's first lady of comedy.
In 1984 Joanna-Marie now seventeen years old was ready to pursue a recording career. This reality came by way of popular radio disc jockey Clint O'Neil, who found this young woman very talented and was encouraged by her determination. He produced her first single in 1985 called "SINGLE GIRL" and a second "I AM SO THANKFUL" in 1986. Both singles got good air play and introduced Joanna-Marie to the South Florida scene where her first live performance at the Bicentennial Park in Miami, was to a capacity audience of 50,000 where she was well received. During this period she was encouraged to sing in her second language but Joanna-Marie was not yet comfortable singing in spanish. She wanted to be more confident on and off the stage. She was presented with the opportunity to work the club scene with Andy and Billy Vernon. Joanna-Marie took this time to refine her singing and stage work, also had the pleasure of working with Pluto Shervington and this she did for five years.
Joanna-Marie has worked in clubs all over Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. She also performed in Chicago, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Bahamas, Canada and Jamaica. During that time on the road, Joanna-Marie also found time to work in the studio where she recorded "BABY I LOVE YOUR WAY", produced by Inner Circle in 1987.
In 1990 Joanna-Marie linked with Gong Sound Records where she recorded "RHINESTONE COWGIRL" produced by Karl Pitterson. This was when JAH T encouraged her to try singing in Spanish. Joanna-Marie was now ready to try, and as a result she recorded "MI AMOR" her first Spanish single. She now felt confident and comfortable with both languages, and "AGAIN" and "GOOD E NUFF" followed in both Spanish and English.
Joanna-Marie has worked intensively with other artists in the reggae industry, doing backing vocals, live and in the studio for some of the better known names in reggae, John Holt, Mystic Revealers, Prezident Brown, Benjy Myaz, Lee Milo, Mikal Rose, Dennis Brown, Ernie Smith, Mikey Spice and the late Garnet Silk to name a few.
In 1994 Joanna-Marie joined the Kariang Production team, relocated to Jamaica, where she not only continued to work in the Kariang studio on her album but started a business in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. While in the studios at Kariang, Joanna recorded "SEA OF LOVE" one of the first locally produced Spanish reggae songs to be played on Jamaican radio, this single did very well for Joanna-Marie and placed her in a good position for live performances in her home town. Doing stage shows around the island and still finding time to run a successful business, taking care of her children and working with various producers on her first album "SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE" released on the Kariang label in February 1999. The album contains 16 tracks, seven of which are in Spanish and nine tracks in English. Look for it in your favorite record store and get your copy today.
After recovering slowly from an accident June 4th 2005, Joanna has decided that it is time to do her second album. She is very busy at the recording studio of New Creation Records working with David Rowe on her next album. She promises to bring you ALL original lyrics and riddims never heard from Joanna Marie before!
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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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