Respected Jamaican historian and musicologist Garth “G White” White passed away on September 4 at the University Hospital of the West Indies. He was 77 years old.
White had faced health challenges in recent years, including losing his right leg to diabetes in 2018.
For many years, White’s extensive knowledge of the early years of Jamaican popular music and Rastafarian culture was sought by various institutions, including the Institute of Jamaica, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, the Reparation Committee, and the African-Caribbean Institute of Jamaica.
Born in the Corporate Area community of Kencot, White was the eldest of three children. His academic journey began when he earned a place at Jamaica College (JC) in 1958 as a Code Scholar, having topped his parish in pre-Common Entrance Exams. During his eight years at JC, White made a lasting impact. He was a member of the Manning Cup football team, a hurdler at the Boys’ Championships, a choir member, and a leader in the Cadet Corps. One of his most notable moments was leading the band that welcomed Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I to JC in April 1966.
White later became the first Rastafarian student to enroll at The University of the West Indies (UWI), where he began to express his deepening awareness of music. During the 1970s, he was involved with the Ethiopian World Federation, which evolved into the Twelve Tribes of Israel, as well as the Workers Liberation League, a precursor to the Workers Party of Jamaica.
Minister of Culture and Entertainment Olivia Grange expressed deep sadness at Garth White’s passing, describing him as “an encyclopedia” on matters related to Jamaican music. “I am really sad by this news. The nation has lost an outstanding son whose knowledge and passion for our music was unparalleled. I really will miss him,” said Grange.
White served as a researcher at the African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica/Jamaica Memory Bank, part of the Institute of Jamaica, which falls under the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport. He also played a key role on the Reggae Gold Awards Committee, which selected the first 50 Reggae Gold Awardees.
In recognition of his contributions to Jamaican music, Minister Grange awarded him the Reggae Gold Media Award. Among his notable publications were The Development of Jamaican Popular Music with Special Reference to the Music of Bob Marley: A Bibliography (1982) and Traditional Musical Practice in Jamaica and Its Influences on the Birth of Modern Jamaican Popular Music (1982).
