Reggae Sunsplash History
Since Reggae Sunsplash's inception in 1978, Reggae Sunsplash• has been a bold pioneer in the area of expanding cultural unity worldwide by consistently delivering on its stated objective of "Uniting The World Through Music".
In 1984, after successfully staging Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica for six years, Reggae Sunsplash staged a show in London, England at the Crystal Palace Football Stadium, followed by the first annual tour of the United States and Canada in 1985.
Since then, Tony Johnson has taken Reggae Sunsplash on successful tours of Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur, the Palau Islands, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Italy, the United States (including Hawaii and Guam), Canada, Bermuda, and Australia. During this same period, the dramatic resurgence in Reggae's main stream acceptance in the United States and the world over is no coincidence.
The Reggae Sunsplash• World Tour has provided reggae music with the recognition and high standards that it deserves asa truly international music genre that knows no boundaries, appealing to every race, class and culture of the world Reggae Sunsplash• has continued to draw increasing numbers of enthusiastic fans and has developed over the years, into a vehicle of cultural exchange and enrichment
With performances from Bob Marley and the Wailers, Stevie Wonder, Peter Tosh and Deniece Williams, not only are the artists' performances of a consistent high quality, this concert, unlike other music festivals, draws a very diverse demographic audience.
The festival grew from a 15-city U.S. tour in 1984 to a 40-city U.S. tour. Simultaneously, the event grew from clubs to large outdoor amphitheaters across the country, including Radio City Music Hall in New York. In Japan, the tour grew from a 3-city club tour in 1991 to three annual tours playing over 30 dates in 1996. In fact, Sun splash was regarded as one of the more exciting and reputable tours in Japan, with the summer leg of the tour pulling dose to 100,000 people total.
Of the numerous awards and recognition's received, perhaps the one Mr. Johnson is most proud of, is the letter of commendation bestowed upon Mr. Johnson jointly by the Governments of Jamaica and Japan. This commendation wasto show their appreciation for his efforts in organizing and producing a series of concerts to benefit the victims of the Great Hanshin Earthquake that devastated the Kobe Region of Japan in 1995. Even though the concerts were organized over a manic three-week period, the impact of that effort, which included the donation of all artistic and professional services, will last a lifetime.
As a result of the efforts of Reggae Sunsplash'" and Tony Johnson, reggae music has become the cornerstone of a continuously growing cultural movement.
In May of 1997, Mr. Johnson passed away, but his legacy lives on through his family.
The following year on Memorial Weekend Reggae Sunsplash'" played to a sold out audience at a Tribute Concert for Tony Johnson at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
In 2006, Reggae Sunsplash'"hit the road again with an all star lineup featuring Third World, Jimmy Cliff, UB40, Toots and the Maytals and other supporting performing artistes; touring both the US and Japan simultaneously. Reggae Sunsplash'" successfully produced both events concurrently with its signature high quality sound, staging, lighting and efficient crew, to the delight of thousands of fans in both countries. Reggae Sunsplash• looks forward to continuing to "Unite the World Through Music':