Impresario Tommy Cowan is encouraging Jamaican artistes to conceptualise more Christmas-themed songs to help market the country’s culture and spread unity around the world.

“It should be encouraged, and even if they can come up with more authentic, original songs… it draws more attention to our country,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“Apart from the fact that it draws people to the country, we want to maintain the reason for the season. We want to bring it back to the time where we see Christmas as a season of peace. We want to get to that place where we become an example to the rest of the world that Christmas is a time for enjoyment, family, and unity… When you look at it, it’s the war that’s upfront… there are so many conflicts around the world at Christmas. I think the same way we took a lead role in the fight against Apartheid, we must take a lead role in the fight against war and crime at Christmas,” charged Cowan.

During the late 1960s, while working with Dynamic Sounds Recording Company as marketing manager, Cowan embarked on the idea of celebrating Christmas in a Jamaican way. From this, the Christmas In The Tropics album was birthed. It featured Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, Toots & the Maytals, among others.

This was a practice he maintained ever since.

“Once I started my company in the 70s — Talent Corporation at 1c Oxford Road in Kingston — I continued in the production and distribution of Christmas music with albums such as Natty Christmas with Jacob Miller and Ray I, produced by The Inner Circle Band; and Christmas Sting with Carlene Davis, featuring the renowned Santa Clause Do You Ever Come to The Ghetto. Also from her Christmas repertoire is the album Christmas Reggae Rock with Give Love On Christmas Day. Another Christmas release from Carlene is the album Christmas Everyday with the single Put Christ Back Into Christmas, which is about ‘the reason for the season’, and the track Send The Soldiers Home a song which reflects the deception of Satan in the instigation of war at Christmastime,” he explained.

The Cowans, Carlene and daughter Naomi Cowan, collabarated for the remake and video in 2021. Naomi has also released the single Miss You Most (At Christmas).

Tommy Cowan and his company Glory Music have supported the staging of ‘Christmas Joy In The Bass’ for the last nine years with Joy Town Community Development Foundation at the Ambassador Theatre in Trench Town. This year’s staging will be December 20, featuring Kevin Downswell, Carlene Davis, Alaine, Carey Sayles, Humble, The Right Band, Trench Town Talents and others.