Tuff Gong keeps history alive

Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

A studio with a legendary name, Tuff Gong International Limited is located on Marcus Garvey Drive, Kingston 11 and has a long and interesting history.

Speaking with The Sunday Gleaner during a visit to the location with Digicel brand ambassadors Tifa and I-Octane, Lorna Wainwright, the company's operations manager, took time out to discuss the company's history.

She said it was once the location of the popular Federal Records but was acquired after Bob Marley's death.

"It was like everything happened here. Unfortunately, at one stage of Bob's career, he was not allowed entry here at Federal, even when Johnny Nash wanted him to record. He got into the office one day and there was a confrontation and he said that one day he would own this property," she told The Sunday Gleaner.

"In 1982, it was up for sale and Rita purchased it and it was named Tuff Gong. Eventually we moved the business from Hope Road to here."

Exhibit

At the time, she said they did vinyl manufacturing, there was a record shop, a mastering room and a recording studio. She said the original studio board that was used at the Hope Road location was moved to their current location, but was eventually changed and is now on exhibit at the Bob Marley Museum.

In addition to what was done at Tuff Gong International in the earlier days, Wainwright said there is now an art gallery, rehearsal room and a herbal garden.

The location is also included in Trench Town and Bob Marley Museum tours.

Wainwright added that the studio gets visits from artistes and people who just want the experience of being there.

"Young artistes come here and are inspired because they are on the property of one of Bob Marley's visions. Some people just want to pose with the instruments or with his truck he purchased in the 1950s," she said.

She said in recent times there have been recordings for a couple charity projects for Japan, the China Harbour Engineering theme song and some of Stephen Marley's latest album. She said recordings have also been done by acts like K'Naan, Damian Marley, Maxi Priest, The Wailers, Morgan Heritage, Steel Pulse, University Singers, Rita Marley, Capleton, Shaggy, Gentleman, Sinead O'Conner, Richard Bronson and several other local and international artistes.