ENTITY · PERSON (ARTIST, SELECTOR, PRODUCER…)
Karl Young
Well supported
Karl Young was the Jamaican broadcasting entrepreneur who founded IRIE FM and backed the proposition that an all-reggae station could work when the established broadcasters were programming American rhythm and blues. As chief executive of Grove Broadcasting, based at Coconut Grove in Ocho Rios, he ran both IRIE FM — on air from August 1990 as Jamaica's first all-reggae format — and its sister station ZIP 103 FM.
His earlier career took in the Kon Tiki Restaurant, Boonoonoonoos Nights and record production through Grove Music. He was inducted into the International Reggae and World Music Awards Hall of Fame in 2002, and died on 10 June 2010 while recovering from lung surgery at a hospital in Chicago. After his death his son Chad Young took over Grove Broadcasting.
At a glance
- Confidence
- Well supported
- Sources
- IRIE FM, "Remembering Karl Young, Founder of IRIE FM"; Jamaica Gleaner, "Irie FM, Zip 103 Chairman Karl Young dies"; Jamaica Observer, "Karl Young and the IRIE FM story" and "Reggae in the morning, the story of IRIE FM".
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Compiled and researched by The Jamaica Music Atlas music desk. The sources that informed it are credited above.
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