Cali Roots & Rootfire Announce Partnership to Present New Project Center Stage with Reggae Icons
In recognition and acknowledgement of veteran Reggae artists’ careers, their creation of Reggae music, and role in music history, California Roots Festival and Rootfire are excited to announce a new collaborative project, Center Stage with Reggae Icons. Cali Roots and Rootfire are opening their platforms in service as a resource to living legendary Reggae artists.
Cali Roots, the largest Reggae music festival in the US, together with Rootfire, a cooperative label services program designed to provide interest-free loans for the production and marketing of recorded music, are committed to amplifying legendary Reggae artists via Center Stage with Reggae Icons. Through this project they will take a deep dive into the featured musicians’ catalogs and careers with artist interviews, historic performances, streaming music, recommended films and books, and hosted panel discussions. The goal of this project is to serve as a bridge through music history education, to honor legendary Reggae art and share the artists’ stories with American fans. Each Reggae artist will be illuminated through a variety of platforms such as social media, Rootfire’s Reggae Podclash, Sirius XM’s The Joint with Dan Sheehan, playlists and more. Center Stage with Reggae Icons will kick-off in September featuring Toots Hibbert of Toots and The Maytals!
Pat McKay of Sirius XM’s The Joint states, “The partnership formed by Cali Roots and Rootfire for this project exemplifies Reggae’s messages of unity. Aimed at providing an unprecedented service, and having had the privilege to observe the Cali Roots Fest and Rootfire’s revolutionary approach to business and the way Reggae is presented – this project seems a very natural step”.
The importance of launching Center Stage with Reggae Icons speaks to the current times. Since its inception, Reggae music has been deeply rooted in revolutionary protests for the rights of oppressed communities within Jamaica and a call for liberation, led by Rastafarian beliefs. In
the spirit of Reggae music and the wake of the BLM movement, Cali Roots announced a pledge on social media in support of BIPOC creators. Center Stage with Reggae Icons is an activation of their pledge point, to share and acknowledge the history of reggae music that is rooted in Jamaica and to engage veteran reggae artists with the broader audiences their platforms reach.
Cali Roots and Rootfire are committed to being active, long term, loud allies to oppressed groups, using their platforms to spread awareness, practicing anti-racism, and encouraging their community to do the same.
Read our pledge points at https://californiarootsfestival.com/our-values
Catch Center Stage with Reggae Icons at www.rootfire.net and at www.californiarootsfestival.com. Follow us on social media for the up to date Center Stage with Reggae Icons line up and your reggae music education!
