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Music Industry Pioneer and Trailblazer of Afro-Caribbean Cultural Achievement

Denise Jones profile picture

On July 31, 2022, the City of Brampton posthumously inducted music industry pioneer and trailblazer of Afro-Caribbean cultural achievement, Denise Jones, will be honoured posthumously into the Brampton Arts Walk of Fame.

The induction ceremony took place in Garden Square, downtown Brampton, as part of the JAMBANA: One World Festival, which celebrates the sights, sounds and tastes of Canada’s diversity. The festival represents Canada’s African and Caribbean communities through performances by internationally acclaimed bands, artists and JUNO Award winners.

Portait Photo Credit - Kevin Jones​

Denise Jones spent her life championing Afro-Caribbean culture in Canada and around the world through her company, Jones & Jones Productions, Canada’s first black-led talent and management agency. Jones was a champion for Black creators, entertainers and artists, particularly Reggae music, in all forms and was the founding Chair of the Reggae Category for the JUNO Awards. Among her many accomplishments, Jones established the second largest Afrocentric cultural event in Canada, JAMBANA: One World Festival, which at its height drew over 45,000 attendees and was named one of Ontario’s Top 100 Festivals.

Raised in Jamaica, Denise began her career in entertainment there before moving to Canada and settling in Brampton, where she was a long-time resident. Since her passing in 2020, Denise leaves behind a legacy of incredible achievements, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Urban Music Association of Canada, the Bob Marley Memorial Award for her work in entertainment, a Government of Ontario Community Service Award, a Ministry of Citizenship Ontario Government Award, an African Canadian Achievement Award, and a Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in Entertainment. She was also named one of 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women in 2018. At the 2022 JUNO Awards Festivities, Denise was posthumously awarded the 2022 Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award, a prize that recognizes individuals whose work has significantly impacted the growth and development of the Canadian music industry.