A Day For John Holt

Every October going forward, the family members of deceased Reggae icon John Holt will host a night of festivities to commemorate his legacy.

Speaking to DancehallMag, his grandson, Scwayne “Bamm” Holt said the family saw this as necessary.

“I decided to host an annual show because I felt like my grandad need to have a night dedicated to him. Who else to do it other than his family, have to keep the voltage alive,” Bamm said.

The first staging of the concert was held on October 23 at Lauderdale Lakes, Florida. Dubbed Volts of Holt, the event featured Bamm, his father Junior Holt, uncle Brian Holt, cousin Brianna Holt, The Real McKoy, Chino, and Freddie McGregor.

“The hightlight of the night was when all four of us were on stage together. That was very special for me,” Bamm continued.

He added that he believes the Jamaican government has done well to honour his grandfather. “ I think the government has done a good job honoring his name. Giving him the Award Of Distinction in 2004. That was a great honour,” he told DancehallMag.

John Holt died in 2014 at the age of 67.

He recorded his first single in 1963 with Forever I’ll Stay/ I Cried a Tear for record producer Leslie Kong and also recorded a duet with Alton Ellis, Rum Bumper for producer Vincent “Randy” Chin.

By the early 1970s, he was one of the biggest stars of Reggae. His 1972 track Stick By Me was the biggest selling Jamaican record of that year.

Holt’s 1973 Harry Mudie- produced album, Time Is The Master, was successful, with orchestral arrangements recorded in London by Tony Ashfield. The success of the string-laden reggae led to Trojan Records issuing a series of similarly arranged albums produced by Ashfield starting with the 1,000 Volts of Holt in 1973, a compilation of Holt’s reggae cover versions of popular hits. 1,000 Volts spawned the UK Top 10 hit with Help Me Make It Through The Night which peaked at number 6. The album also included covers of Billy Joel’’s Just The Way You Are and Touch Me In The Morning by Diana Ross.

Meanwhile, the third generation Holt said his grandfather’s career is still a force to be reckoned with.

“I would describe my grandad’s legacy as a great one. Full of loving fans and loyal ones. He left some very hard shoes to fill but it is a joyful journey carrying the torch,” Bamm added.

In September, under the recently founded Voltz of Holt foundation, two students at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in St Andrew received scholarships valued at $100,000 each. They were funded by Holt who also released a 10-track album in July titled Voltz of Holt, an ode to his grandfather’s album 1000 Volts of Holt.