The Bronx paid tribute to considered one of reggae’s most influential behind-the-scenes figures, Earl Moodie, with the official renaming of the nook of White Plains Street and 225th Road to Earl Moodie’s Method. The ceremony honored the Jamaican-born music stalwart, founding father of Moodies Information, and longtime Bronx resident who left an indelible mark on reggae tradition in New York Metropolis.
Bronx Councilman Kevin C. Riley joined members of the family, associates, and reggae followers on the renaming ceremony, celebrating Moodie’s contributions to each the borough and the broader reggae group.
“I’ve recognized about Moodies Information since I used to be a baby. My dad and I used to go to the shop typically, spending time collectively listening to music. It was all the time highly effective to look at him join along with his associates. Music was the driving drive that introduced them collectively and created a way of fellowship and group,” Councilman Riley shared. He helped set up the occasion in partnership with the Moodie household.
“Individuals really perceive how a lot this enterprise meant to all of us,” added Avril Francis, Group Liaison for Councilman Riley.
Moodie, initially from Papine in St. Andrew, Jamaica, migrated to New York in 1969. For many of his life in the US, he was deeply concerned within the music enterprise. Within the early Seventies, he was the lead singer of The Stepping Stones, a reggae band that performed the membership circuit within the Bronx and Brooklyn. Earlier than launching his personal retailer, he additionally labored at Brad’s Information, one of many main reggae shops within the nation on the time.
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Positioned on White Plains Street, Moodie’s Information rapidly turned a go-to vacation spot for reggae lovers in search of the newest hits or uncommon gems from the rocksteady and roots-reggae eras. The store additionally served as a key hangout spot for Jamaicans within the music enterprise, particularly these residing in New York Metropolis.
Reggae singer Richie Stephens, who first met Mr. Moodie practically 30 years in the past, mirrored on his affect: “His affect resonated far past the partitions of his iconic music retailer within the Bronx. He dedicated himself to selling reggae music and fostered an area the place music lovers and artists like myself might collect and work together over shared rhythms and tales. The renaming of 225th Road stands as a robust image of cultural pleasure and group appreciation, making certain that Moodie’s contributions to reggae music and the Bronx group will likely be remembered for generations to come back.”
Syntyche “Syn” Clarke, Vice President of Irie Jam Radio, anchored a reside broadcast from the occasion and emphasised the significance of honoring group pillars like Earl Moodie.
“It’s about recognizing the affect of those that typically work behind the scenes to uplift our folks, rejoice our roots, and construct bridges for future generations,” Clarke mentioned. “Naming this road ‘Earl Moodie’s Method’ stands as a reminder of the significance of acknowledging our group leaders each whereas they’re with us and after they’re gone. Mr. Moodie embodies what it means to chase goal, reside with intention, and depart the world higher than you discovered it.”
Earl Moodie handed away on September 17, 2021, on the age of 69 after a quick sickness. His legacy — as a cultural connector, a music lover, and a Bronx icon — lives on in each beat spun at Moodies Information and now, fairly actually, within the streets he helped outline.
