Owen Gray is a Jamaican Musician who spanned all eras of Jamaican music. His genre of music is very versatile as he has recorded different genres ranging from RnB to Ska to Rocksteady and Reggae.
He has recorded over 30 albums in his 66 years in the music industry. Gray is considered to be Jamaica’s first home-grown Music Star. The veteran music is still alive and recording new music.
Is Owen Gray Still Alive?
The Jamaican Singer-songwriter is still alive at the time of this writing. He still performs and just before COVID-19 struck, the 85-year-old had performed in shows in the UK, Brazil, and Australia and had more lined up but had to cancel due to the pandemic.
In 2021, He was honored by The Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) Honour Awards for Lifetime Achievement Award. Gray expressed his appreciation to the organizers for acknowledging him but he felt he should be getting more like an OD and an Icon Award since he could be considered a pioneer of Jamaican Music.
7 Facts About Owen Gray
1. Owen Gray was Born in Jamaica
Gray was born in Saint Ann’s, Jamaica on the 5th of July 1939. His family moved to Kingston while he was still a toddler. His love for music started when he was a little boy right from his days in Sunday school.
Gray had two brothers he referred to them as the “Gray Brothers”. As a child, he enjoyed singing and even won his first talent contest at age nine. By the time he was twelve years old, he had started making public appearances playing drum, guitar, and keyboards.
Gray attended the Alpha Boys School on South Camp Road, Kingston, Jamaica and by age 19, he started singing professionally.
2. His Mother was a Musician
Owen Gray probably took his music genes from his Mom. She played the piano in the Church choir where he joined her later on and sang his first tenor.
His father on the other hand was in the military and Gray described him as hardened and principled. As much as one would think he would take after his Dad, the young Gray chose a career path for himself in music.
3. Gray Started as a Gospel Artist
Owen Gray started singing in church alongside his Mom. The Young Gray performed Mahalia Jackson’s “It is no secret (what God can do) at a talent show which he won against other musicians. That was the confirmation Gray needed to know he was made for the Music Industry.
The Jamaican Legend has gone back to its roots and is currently concentrating on and has been releasing Gospel Music and Ballads.
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4. Owen Gray is Jamaica’s First Home-grown Star
Owen Gray turned professional in 1958 and never looked back. He began his career at a time when Jamaican music was ready to bloom, fortunately for him, he bloomed alongside.
His breakthrough came in 1960 when he recorded please don’t let me go with Dennis Sindrey a member of The Caribs for Chris Blackwell, an upcoming producer from England.
When the song was released in Jamaica, it topped the chart and soon everyone was talking about it. The record was also released in England and surprisingly, it sold well and so did his subsequent releases. This prompted Gray to move to England in May 1962.
5. He was Acknowledged as a Living Legend
In 2002, Owen Gray was acknowledged with a Living Legend Award at Heineken Startime in Kingston. He cherished the award saying he believed it was from God.
In addition to his Living Legend Award, Gray 2021 was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by The Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) Honour Awards which he used as an inspiration for his recent EP which he titled “Lifetime Achievement Award“. The EP has 3 songs that were remastered from his previous songs.
6. What is His Relationship with Owen in Grey’s Anatomy?
There has been a lot of confusion about Owen Gray and Owen in Grey’s Anatomy. Owen Hunt is a fictional character from the medical series, Grey’s Anatomy which air on American Broadcasting Company in the United States.
The series nonetheless features stars actors such as Cindy Sweeney, Lexington Grace, Jo Wilson, and Gaius Charles among others.
7. How Rich is Owen Gray
The Jamaican singer-songwriter has made a huge fortune from being into music full time. There is no exact figure for his net worth, different sources have however reported Gray’s net worth to be between $15million-$18million.
His awards include Lifetime Achievement Award by The Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) Honour Awards and the Living Legend Award at Heineken Startime in Kingston.
In conclusion, the history of Jamaican music will not be complete without the mention of Owen Gray and his contribution.
