Bunny “Striker” Lee, a towering figure in reggae music, left an indelible mark at his Burns Avenue recording studio in Duhaney Park, St Andrew. On July 1, celebrated globally as International Reggae Day, a museum commemorating the legendary producer’s legacy had its soft launch at this historic site.
The museum is brimming with artifacts from Lee’s 60-year career, including his iconic sailor hats, flamboyant suits, and the recording equipment used to create numerous hit songs. The walls are adorned with paintings of Lee and his contemporaries—fellow producers Clement Dodd, Duke Reid, Prince Buster, Leslie Kong, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Lloyd “King Jammy” James, and Chris Blackwell.
Visitors can also see instruments belonging to notable musicians like bass guitarist Robbie Shakespeare of Lee’s Aggrovators band, guitarist Jerome “Jah Jerry” Haynes of The Skatalites, and keyboardist Jackie Mittoo.
The official opening of the Bunny Lee Museum and Recording Studio will be in February 2025 during Reggae Month, but it is currently open to the public 9 a.m. to 5p.m Mondays to Saturdays. Bookings are accepted only through the Bunny Lee Museum and Recording Studio website.
Bunny “Striker” Lee, who passed away in October 2020 at the age of 79 after battling kidney problems, was a seminal figure in the reggae scene. He began his career in 1962 as a record plugger for Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle label in Kingston.
Lee’s influence on reggae music is profound. He produced classic hits like Eric Donaldson’s “Cherry Oh Baby,” Delroy Wilson’s “Better Must Come,” and John Holt’s “Stick By Me.” He played a pivotal role in the United Kingdom’s reggae market, licensing his productions to the Palmer Brothers (Pama) and Trojan Records in the early 1970s.
In the realm of dub music, Lee was a pioneer, collaborating with his friend and dub innovator King Tubby in the early 1970s. Together, they experimented with new production techniques, which Lee described as “implements of sound,” creating tracks primarily consisting of rhythm parts mixed with distorted or altered versions of songs.
For his remarkable contributions to Jamaican music, Bunny “Striker” Lee was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in 2008.
