Living Legend award for Sister Marshall

Several outstanding Barbadians will be celebrated for their contribution to entertainment when the Barbados Music Awards (BMA) come off at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on January 13.
The BMA directors’ choice of honorees were this year, for the first time, influenced by public voting.
Winners include Sister Marshall who will receive the Living Legend Award, which is presented to an individual or band whose life in music has been nothing short of legendary. Previous awardees include the Mighty Gabby and Richard Stoute.
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Li’l Rick in honour of his long, successful and impactful career in soca and reggae, added to his achievements as a songwriter, producer and disc jockey.
The Award Of Merit – presented posthumously to outstanding exponents of music or related activities within the music arena – will this year be presented in memory of the late Mike Wilkinson and the late Norma Stoute.
The Cornerstone Awards represent those who have influenced or continue to impact positively on the island’s music industry.
This year the recipients are Dwain Antrobus (producer, musician), Andrew Denny (engineer, producer), Joy Knight-Lynch (conductor, music educator, musician), Anthony Lowhar (producer), Darron Grant (producer, copyright and artist’s rights executive), Yvette Best (entertainment journalist), Dr Sean Jackson (organist, pianist), Dr Michael Andrew Clarke (music educator, choral director, organist, pianist) and Emmanuel Joseph (journalist, music promoter).
The producers of the BMAs said the music business was a key focus of the awards and those involved in the sector who have achieved significant success with sales, negotiations, international networking among other areas are presented the Award Of Excellence.
This year’s list includes the band Cover Drive, their manager Kerrie Thomas Armstrong who also negotiated major label deals in the past for Livvi Franc and Barbados’ own king of international theatre Ricky Stoute – a past Barbados and Caribbean Music Awards winner who has gone on to star internationally in major stage musicals including Disney’s The Lion King.
“The Barbados Music Awards has made every effort to engage the international music industry, and as such, introduced international awards categories in 2007. This year tribute will be paid to the late Whitney Houston and her mother, gospel legend Cissy Houston, will also receive the International Award Of Excellence, and will be performing live at the event.  
Also performing at the event will be Ahsan, one of the youngest artistes signed to any major label. (JS)