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Legendary music producer Augustus ‘Gussie’ Clarke is hitting a new high note in his storied career. With more than 50 years of experience building and operating world-class music studios, Clarke and his renowned team at Anchor Studio are spearheading the creation of the first professional-grade, state-of-the-art recording studio at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA).
EMCVPA, the Caribbean’s only tertiary-level multidisciplinary arts institution, has long stood as the cradle of Jamaica’s cultural evolution. Alumni like Etana, Mutabaruka, Petrona Morrison, and L’Antoinette Stines continue to shine on global stages. But despite its reputation and rich artistic legacy, the college has never had its own fully equipped recording facility.
For Clarke, this initiative is both a professional mission and a personal calling, and his dream “is to build these studios with the support of sponsors so Edna Manley doesn’t have to spend a cent of its limited resources”.
In an interview with The Sunday Gleaner, Clarke elaborated on why it was important for him to make this move.
“Knowing that for more than 30 years now, there has been the need for Edna Manley to have a studio, I felt inspired, compelled, and obligated to fulfil such a need, especially knowing the tremendous positive impact that can have on Jamaica’s musical output, production quality, and culture,” Clarke said.
He added: “And, also, it was a philanthropic move on my part to say let me give back something to an industry that has given me so much. I know of the influence that this will have in the long run on the next generation of creators.”
With this project, Clarke is putting his money where his mouth is and has already committed US$100,000 of his personal funds to get the studio started.
CONSTRUCTION
As a visionary committed to education and mentorship, the Kingston College old boy is rallying a network of key industry partners to help bring this transformative project to life, and construction is expected to begin in July.
Clarke has begun procuring key internal construction and acoustical materials. Acclaimed architect Brian Morris of Plexus Architects and Planners has also joined the mission, contributing sweat equity through the development of architectural designs.
The main studio will be a dynamic, professional-grade environment integrating both analogue and digital technologies. Designed to simulate real-world industry conditions, it will provide students with hands-on experience in performance, recording, and audio engineering. A smaller studio, tailored for podcasting, interviews, instructional recordings, and demo production, will support student projects and offer opportunities for income generation.
Beyond the technical infrastructure, the project emphasises mentorship and apprenticeship. By embedding music industry professionals into the day-to-day functioning of the studios, students will gain invaluable experience while building relationships that bridge education and industry. The design also includes sustainable features, such as solar-powered systems, to support long-term efficiency and reduce operational costs.
In expressing her appreciation for Clarke’s leadership and commitment, Dorrett Campbell, interim principal of EMCVPA, noted that “this is the most tangible move we’ve seen towards making a professional studio a reality”.
“There have been many promises before, but no results. We are truly grateful for Gussie Clarke ... his word is backed by action, and that gives us real hope,” Campbell stated.
EARLY YEARS
Clarke was born in rural Jamaica on March 26, 1954. He lost his mother early in life and has no memory of her. After being housed in an approved school, he was adopted by Iris Robinson of Kingston, who sent him to Calabar Primary School and Kingston College.
During his second year at Kingston College, in 1966, he developed the daily habit of arriving at school very early so that he could maximise the revenues from selling rides on his bicycle. Propelled by a compelling inner force, which he simply calls destiny, he combined his earnings from his ‘bicycle-ride’ business with saved lunch money to buy a pre-amplifier, turntable, speaker, and power amplifier parts.
He also learnt to make speaker boxes in woodwork class. Robinson engaged a technician to make a power amplifier as a birthday gift for him. Gussie had a series of barter deals, which led to the establishment of King Gussie Hi-Fi. This extremely driven young entrepreneur had now joined the ranks of famous men whose heavy-bass sound systems pounded out reggae music in its infancy.
Operating out of an old wooden house downtown, Gussie imported records through a friend in New York and supplied sound systems with international records and dub specials. He also explored other dimensions in the music industry, which saw him voicing a song at the renowned Downbeat Studio 1, his bio on his website states.
In 1972, the seasoned 18-year-old launched his record-producing career. His first artiste was the legendary U-Roy, who recorded a single titled The Higher The Mountain, which marked the official beginning of Gussie’s long-term love affair with music and paved the way for a career marked by vision, planning, focus, organisation, integrity, and ultimately, success.
Always breaking new ground, Gussie Clarke stood out because of his professional operation in an industry that has been laden with creative talent, but lacking in efficient administration.
Through the 1970s and early 1980s, he worked with artistes such as Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Augustus Pablo, Leroy Smart, and The Mighty Diamonds, including the latter’s influential Pass the Kouchie in 1981.
In 1988, Gussie launched his Music Works studio, equipped and ready to fully adopt the digital reggae era, successfully as a producer, and returned with hit records and singles for many Jamaican and UK artistes alike. He continued to gather some of the best songwriters, musicians, background singers, arrangers, engineers, and mixers Jamaica had to offer. By mid-year, the first full-length albums to showcase the sounds of the Music Works studio were The Mighty Diamonds’ Get Ready and Gregory Isaacs’ Red Rose For Gregory.
Some of the notable hits from this creative era include Telephone Love by J. C. Lodge; Just A Little Bit Longer, by Maxi Priest; Twice My Age by Shabba Ranks and Krystal; Rumours by Gregory Isaacs; Two Wicked, the album by Aswad; and Mr Loverman, by Shabba Ranks.
In October 2014, the Institute of Jamaica awarded Clarke a bronze Musgrave Medal, and in 2019, he was conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of commander for his distinguished contributions in the field of music
English (US) ·