Marley Still Giving

Tuff Gong International made a donation of much needed items to the Bustamante Hospital for Children at an intimate informal presentation on Wednesday, October 3. The donation was one of several contributions that Tuff Gong has made to health and education sectors recently.

Representing Tuff Gong International at the presentation was Donisha Prendergast, granddaughter of the late Rt. Hon. Robert Nesta Marley, founder of Tuff Gong International. Also on hand for the presentation was Sister Lorna Wainwright of Tuff Gong International. The donation to the Bustamante Children’s Hospital consisted of bedside chairs and a Mayo table for Ward Two Surgical. The donation has help to facilitate the re-opening of the newly renovated operating rooms at the hospital.

At the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Tuff Gong International contributed two incubators for the premature nursery at the hospital. The incubators were desperately needed and much appreciated by the administration of the hospital, regarded as the leading hospital for pre-natal care and births.

Extending to education, the Marley Family has again generously assisted several families with their back to school expenses for the 2007 academic year. As a part of the contribution to the education sector, eight students from Stephney Primary and Junior High School were the recipients of the Bob Marley Trust Scholarships to attend Ferncourt, Brown’s Town, Yorke Castle, Abuthnott Gallimore, Marcus Garvey and Calabar High Schools as part of their continuing education.

Children of staff members of the Bob Marley Group of Companies, of which Tuff Gong International is a member, also received assistance with cash grants as well as school books issued through the company’s Book Club.

The Bob Marley Group of Companies consists of the Bob Marley Foundation, The Rita Marley Foundation, Tuff Gong International and URGE, all of which have charitable arms which endeavor to keep the legacy of Bob Marley alive.

Source - Headline Entertainment

JAVAUGHN: Youngest Protégé signed to the Marley’s Camp

Javaughn is considered a child prodigy in Reggae music. Although in his early teens, Javaughn already masters three instruments (keyboards, drums and bass guitar), has years of stage experience (both locally and internationally), and is armed with the resounding vocals and sound confidence that have landed him a record deal with the Marley’s Tuff Gong/ Ghetto Youths Label.

With his father being a musician, music teacher, songwriter and singer, it seems Javaughn’s destiny was etched in stone before he was even born. His father recounts memories of playing his own instruments and singing to Javaughn’s pregnant mother, and recalls some healthy kicks from baby Javaughn in response to the music.

Born in Portland, Jamaica in 1992, at age two, Javaughn started playing around with the keyboard, and three years later started playing the drums and bass guitar. He describes the situation as; “It was never hard for me because talent runs in the family, it was just natural.”
By the time he was four, Javaughn’s exposure started from his singing with the Sensation Band from Port Antonio, where he rose rapidly as a child star. He moved around in musical circles and did regular Sunday night stints at the Dragon Bay Hotel in Port Antonio, as well as other hotels along the coast. These gigs only stepped up his reputation as a solid cultural singer, and soon, word spread about his talent and he was being booked for some of Jamaica’s major concerts. The list includes Sting in 1999, East Fest in 2003, Stars R Us, Welcome To Jamrock, and consecutive years at the Bob Marley Tribute Concert in St Ann. He has even traveled overseas to perform at UNIFEST in Miami in 2004, and at other shows in New York.

Expectedly, with the early talent comes exposure. Thanks to his association with Junie Star of Prime Time Entertainment, he and his father were introduced to the Marley family. The meeting instantly bore fruit, as the Marley’s spotted the talent and gave a listening ear. Before long, he started working with the Ghetto Youths production entity, developing more range in his vocals, and learning the rudiments of recording. The studio and stage work has been steady since joining the unit. He has completed a 10 track album entitled, SuperStar that is scheduled for a November 20 release under the Tuff Gong/ Ghetto Youths Banner.

Javaughn’s life expectedly gets hectic, but his father insists he does school work to complement his music. He attends Fair Prospect High (Grade 10) and has been playing these instruments in the school band since he entered the school, and seems set to do so up until he graduates. He enjoys playing football, building rhythms on his computer and watching television in his spare time. “I haven’t had any major challenges yet in the business, Javaughn explains. The best thing about my life so far is working on the album. Outside of everything though, I’m just a normal person.”

In five years, he sees himself walking to a podium, and collecting his own Grammy award, then entering production afterwards. He has used his own words as a guide in life: “You can make it as long as you have talent. You will have producers looking out for them, so just try.”

Source - Headline Entertainment