June Isaacs carries on Gregory’s legacy

She will continue that drive on October 25 with the staging of an event at Posh London in Wembley, United Kingdom. It takes place on the date the singer died in London in 2010 at age 60.

Terrence Wallen will be featured at the Wembley show. He had the lead role in ‘Cool Ruler — The Musical’, a play that had a successful six-show run in the UK in 2025.

Wallen was in Jamaica in September for the Excellence In Music Ceremony which saw June Isaacs presented with 10 discs and certificates sanctioned by the British Phonographic Industry and Grammy Award authorities. They recognised the gold and silver sales of Gregory Isaacs’ ‘Night Nurse’ album and single, as well as his albums that were nominated for the Best Reggae Album Grammy.

On November 28, June Isaacs will be at the Republica Do Reggae show in Salvador Bahia, Brazil where Duane Stephenson is scheduled to perform a tribute to Gregory, who has a massive following in that region.

“His music continues to inspire generations, spreading messages of love, unity, heartbreak and everyday life that remain relevant today,” said June. “By celebrating his life and achievements, we ensure that his extraordinary contribution to reggae music is never forgotten and that future generations understand the greatness of the man behind the music.”

She will be accompanied to Brazil by Copeland Forbes, Gregory’s former manager; and Peter Price, author of ‘The Cool Ruler: The Incredible Life Story of Gregory Isaacs’, a book released in 2025. It will have its official launch in Salvador Bahia.

June Isaacs met Gregory Isaacs in the early 1980s while she attended teachers college in Kingston. At the time, he was one of the hottest names in reggae, thanks to a slate of lovers’ rock hits like ‘Love Is Overdue’, ‘Soon Forward’, ‘Tune In’ and ‘Night Nurse’.

They married in 1983, and remained together during his addiction to hard drugs which landed him before the courts on numerous occasions.

Through the Gregory Isaacs Foundation, which was founded in 2011, June Isaacs has made monetary donations to schools, hospitals and a facility that cares for people addicted to drugs.

She traveled once to Brazil with her husband, and saw the raucous reception he received.

“Brazil was indeed a very special place for Gregory because he had an obsessive and solid fan base that went all out to attend his shows. In fact, he was like a national hero and the people knew practically all of his songs,” she said.

(Photo contributed)