Odette Brown, daughter of the late reggae singer Jackie Brown, is disheartened at the negative comments that have been directed at her family in light of the situation surrounding funeral arrangements for her father.
Jackie Brown, who was responsible for songs such as Send Me the Pillow, One Night of Sin, Miss Hard to Get and Wiser Dread, died on November 12, 2015, and his body is still awaiting burial. Brown said since news of her late father’s demise broke, people have been less than supportive and have been lashing out at the family for not doing their part, but she wants the world to know that she has been doing all that she can to ensure that her father is laid to rest.
Brown, who lives in Jamaica, revealed that funeral arrangements for her father were halted because of financial difficulties, but went on to say that she has been helping out in the best way she can.
“I am just so stressed out about the whole situation,” she told The Sunday Gleaner. “I sought help from the public because I cannot do it on my own and I am not getting any help from other family members.”
Hurt By Social Media Comments
She went on to reveal that she has been particularly hurt by the harsh comments made by people via social media.
“The worst part in all this is hearing all the negative things people talk on Facebook without knowing the full story. Since my father died, only a few family members have reached out and all they have made is promises. I live in Jamaica and I came here (in New York) to do my part, because no matter what, I cannot turn my back.”
Cost Of Funeral
The total cost of the funeral is US$4,000 (J$480,900); a figure Brown revealed is too high for her to reach on her own. Brown told The Sunday Gleaner that since she has been in New York, she has asked a lot of questions about her father’s money, but still cannot figure out where all the money he acquired over the years went.
“I don’t know where his money is. I’ve been asking questions but all I’ve been getting is the runaround. My father lived here (in New York) on his own and had people come and go, but since he died, everybody tek weh dem self.”
Local media in New York (where Brown was living at the time of his death) have been reaching out to media personnel in Jamaica, hoping to spread the word and assist Brown in her plight. When The Sunday Gleaner spoke to one of the persons who have been helping in the efforts to garner support, she described the situation as a sad one. She did not want her name to be disclosed, but commented on the situation via email.
“I feel ashamed that one of our own has been lying on cold slab coming up two months. No matter what the circumstances of who should have or could have, the fact remains Jackie Brown’s body must have a final resting place, so I’m appealing for your assistance right now.”
Even reggae industry insider Copeland Forbes was upset about the situation. In an email sent to The Sunday Gleaner, Forbes expressed disappointment at the handling of the situation. He directed his comments to the local music fraternity, stating that the situation now facing Brown’s family has been recurring too often in recent years.
“Can you believe this note/email I got from my media friends up north in NY,” his email read. “This is a well-known reggae singer from Jamaica. He passed away from last year, almost two months now, and he still has not been buried. What a shame. We had one like this in October 2014 with a famous one, and it was the former minister of culture who came in at the last minute and helped to save the face of reggae. Why does this situation keep recurring when these entertainers make very decent and substantial remuneration, during their heyday? Why are no preparations made for situation like this? It brings tears to my eyes.”
Not The First Time
As pointed out by Forbes, this is not the first time family or close friends of veteran reggae singers who need help have expressed the need for the local industry to take care of their foundation members. In 2014, friends of Kingstonian frontman Jackie Bernard lashed out at the industry for neglecting their own. Bernard, who passed on later that same year, had fallen ill and needed medical assistance. At the time, Mark ‘Dukey’ Gorney of Tip Top Sound, and member of the San Francisco Vintage Reggae Society, expressed concern about the welfare of vintage Jamaican artistes. In an interview with The Sunday Gleaner, Gorney said Bernard’s current situation was quite tragic, and emphasised the music industry’s failure to care for veterans who have fallen on hard times.
When The Sunday Gleaner contacted members of the Jamaica Federation of Music (JFM) and the Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates (JAVAA) at the time, they revealed that there was little they could do to help these artistes because of lack of funding for their organisations. President of the JFM, Desmond ‘Desi’ Young, said that it is unfortunate whenever artistes fall on hard times, but unless artistes make contributions to the societies set up to help them in these situations, there is little they can do.
“They (artistes) should make contributions to the organisations set up for them; it is good to be your brother’s keeper, but you have to have the money to help them,” he said.
Chairman of JAVAA Frankie Campbell agreed.
“JAVAA was set up especially for these cases, but the organisation cannot help everyone,” he said. “Therefore, to get help you have to be a member of JAVAA.”
Help From Industry
Nevertheless, Brown is hoping that the music industry in Jamaica can reach out and give a helping hand.
“I just want people from the music industry to reach out and help me with this. He contributed a lot to reggae music and deserves at least this. I just want to put my father to rest and be done with this.”
She went on to thank persons at the David Williams Funeral Home in New York, who have been handling the situation surrounding her late father with care.
“They have been housing the body free of cost and have been really patient and understanding with us,” she said.
An account has been set up for persons who wish to make a donation to the family. Persons can send their contribution to Account # 432-582-4616. Brown is hoping to bury her father sometime next week, as she has to return to Jamaica.
While I can understand her anger and hurt I think it is directed at the wrong audience. Blame your dad (god rest his soul) for not making preparations for the inevitable. Ofcourse death is something that hust happen but where did the money go? the article made mention of a wife no little savings and what about the children what little contributions have they made. This in indeed embarrassing for her and he made contributions to the nation as well.
DO YOU THINK EVERY SINGER IS RICH AND MAKE MILLIONS? YOU THINK IT IS BOY TO RECORD AND PROMOTE A SONG, STOP ASKING QUESTIONS BASE ON YOUR IGNORANCE AS YOU ARE ASSUMING THE PEOPLE HAD MONEY SO THEY SHOULD HAVE SAVED. THE AVERAGE JAMAICAN DOESN’T HAVE FUNERAL MONEY PUT DOWN SOMEWHERE, NOT EVERY DEATH IS PLANNED.
“not every death is planned”? Last time mi check di only death weh plan ah suicide…My grandmother was far from a millionaire but she saved her little coins and you know what…when she passed we didn’t have to pay a dime…she had payed for her plot from the time she went into retirement,as well as all her other funeral arrangements at least 15-20 years prior…she lived in the US from about 1978 and she worked hard….so there is no excuse…when that man reached certain age he should have been looking about his affairs and at least had a small life insurance policy…so you are actually the one that is and sounds ignorant and she never plan har death!
What about his wife and other children? A wah mek dem nah say/do nutten? Something went wrong somewhere. This is indeed a very sad and embarrassing situation.
Actually no @ anonymous 11:33 I know not every singer is rich or make millions so my “ignorance” has caused me to ask sensible questions. Like what of the other children and their little contributions, he survived by his wife the article does not expound on that area of his life. Also my ignorance brought me to the conclusion that WE need to make better decisions for the inevitable, so is there anything else my “ignorance” left out that yoy would like to discuss?
Life insurance… why nobody believe in that.. even burial insurance.
And is not a young man. From you live fi see 40 you must set aside fi any possibility. Life insurance, funeral insurance, will, investments beneficiaries and all dem tings fi set out. Seet now is one a run up and dung and body liddung fi two months, not even 1 grand can find fi put him in di incinerator. Is sad and disgraceful. Dats why mi like how Indians just light a pyre fi di dead and middle Eastern just wrap inna sheet and bury. We have made burials too much of a production and expense in di west di average person cannot afford a funeral right out dem pocket. Maybe govt fi mandate parents fi teck out death insurance same time dem a sign birth certificate.
So agree with the last comment@5:18. Only in the west and particularly the poorest countries you will hear people complain about financial difficulties of burying the dead. A nuh now this a happen and yet we continue to follow in these same traditions. Kmt
It’s a corpse it isn’t her dad anymore. She in NYC chile burn the body simple. This ting we have about big funeral. All she need is money for the expenses but she can seek out agencies to help. The dead will be buried. My family started this thing a while back after my great great grandad asked to be buried in a sheet in the dirt my aunt felt bad so Althu we got permission to do it she still did that concrete foolishness around the dirt grave( bout she feel shame and ppl will talk ) stupidness . A corpse is a corpse how we live is what matters, hope she was reaching out to him while he was alive.