by Howard Campbell, Observer senior writer
A common perception in Jamaican music is that for anyone to be successful, they have to literally follow the sound.
However, that has never been the case with Patricia Chin, co-founder of VP Records. She stayed close to home and still kept her finger on the pulse.
“I’m behind the scenes so I have to talk with people and get to know what’s selling. I never went to dances so I had to learn a lot of things about the music business, and I had to work harder because I’m a woman,” she said in a recent interview with the Jamaica Observer.
The 83-year-old Chin reflects on life in an industry that has not always been kind to women in her autobiography, Miss Pat— My Reggae Music Journey. It is scheduled for release on March 20 through VP Music but is available online through pre-release.
Along with her husband Vincent, she started Randy’s record label and recording studio in downtown Kingston 63 years ago. The couple launched VP Records in 1979, shortly after migrating to Queens, New York. Vincent died in 2003 at age 65.
Both ventures have been successful, amassing formidable catalogues reinforced by albums and songs from reggae’s elite artistes, including The Skatalites, The Wailers, Derrick Morgan, Lord Creator, Beres Hammond, Beenie Man, Lady Saw, Garnet Silk and Sean Paul.
She said the story of Miss Pat — My Reggae Music Journey had to be told, and not just for music fans.
“I wanted to leave a legacy for my grandchildren, great-grandchildren and future generations, because in the past our fore-parents didn’t leave anything to show why they came to this little island called Jamaica and how life was tough for them. They didn’t share their history and why left China and India, so I wanted to have [it] as a record for my great-grandkids [so they] can see who I am and what I did,” Chin explained.
Read all the article on Jamaica Observer