Description

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A passionate memoir and fearless behind-the-scenes look at the personal lives of the biggest reggae stars in the world.

“Impassioned and engaging.” —Booklist



“A heartfelt tribute to Caribbean roots music and those who keep it alive.” —Kirkus Reviews

With an introduction by Bunny Wailer.



Doctor Dread has committed his life to producing reggae music and releasing it on his label, RAS Records. He has become one of the world’s foremost reggae producers, and has worked with almost all the genre’s icons: Bunny Wailer, Black Uhuru, Ziggy and Damian Marley, Gregory Isaacs, etc. This book, full of behind-the-scenes stories, has shocking chapters that will reveal aspects of reggae never before explored.

About the Author

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Doctor Dread was born and raised in the Washington, DC area. Upon first hearing reggae music in 1972 he became completely enthralled by Jamaican culture and the tenets of Rastafari. This was reinforced when he became a deejay on the DC-area progressive radio station WHFS, where he first took on the moniker of Doctor Dread (his real name is Gary Himelfarb). He next founded RAS Records, which was responsible for distributing and producing reggae artists from Jamaica to every corner of the earth. Doctor Dread forged very intimate relationships with the artists of Jamaica and to this day remains committed to the culture and people of this country he has come to call his "true home." He also founded his own line of Jamaican food items, Doctor Dread's Famous Jamaican Jerk Products, which include seasonings, potato chips, and peanuts, with many more products in the works. He is the author of The Half That's Never Been Told: The Real Life Reggae Adventures of Doctor Dread.

Praise For…

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In 1972, Gary Himelfarb . . . heard reggae music for the first time and fell in love. He embraced the music . . . with a passion that he matched with a genuine curiosity about Jamaican culture and sincere friendships with musicians there. . . . There is a sweetness and sincerity to the best parts of the book . . . . Dread’s serious case of ‘reggaemylitis’ gave him some remarkable experiences.
— Publishers Weekly

The book is a tale of business, family, ethics, health, and survival . . . an entertaining read.
— Washington City Paper

A gem . . . Real music heads will truly enjoy this book. . . . For anyone who is a fan of Reggae music, this book is a must-have.
— Baltimore Times

Full of heart and soul as well as photos from many of the author’s greatest moments, it is a must for anybody interested in reggae music and its cast of characters or the music business in general.




— Reggaeville

Doctor Dread has been a very serious contributor to the global value of this great reggae music . . . Apart from being a serious businessman, Doctor Dread to I is a brother . . .




— Bunny Wailer, from the Introduction