Joe Higgs Legacy Tribute returns on his birthday June 3

The Joe Higgs Legacy Tribute, will this year be hosted on June 3, on what would have been Joe Higgs’ 85th birthday.

The free concert at the Bob Marley Museum, 56 Hope Road, in St Andrew is being staged by the Joe Higgs Foundation. It honours the enduring influence of Joe Higgs, the Father of Reggae, whose teaching, mentorship and groundbreaking musical contributions played a significant role in laying the foundation for the music.

The 2025 edition is viewed as a full-circle moment owing to the fact that Joe Higgs once lived at 56 Hope Road and he famously mentored among other reggae greats, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer, teaching them how to sing and helping develop the signature sound that would change music history.

The event, which starts at 7 p.m., will also be streamed online via joehiggsreggae.com.

“The evening promises a rich cultural experience in the heart of the city with live performances, new archival footage, local and international special tributes and reflections from scholars and those influenced by Joe Higgs,” the organisers said in a press release.

The performers will be backed by the Binghistra Movement, the band led by legendary guitarist Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith, a longtime collaborator of Higgs.

“This tribute is part of an intentional effort to ensure that the legacy of my father, Joe Higgs, is both recognised and celebrated,” said Claudia Higgs, chair of the Joe Higgs Foundation and daughter of the reggae icon.

“We are deeply grateful to Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith, who conceived and has stood by this vision to honour Joe Higgs,” she added.

The foundation has this year formed new alliances with the Bob and Rita Marley Foundations, the Bob Marley Museum, and other entities which have shown their support in various ways.