Johnny Reggae: From Northern England to Negril, Carrying the Sound Worldwide

On a quiet stretch of sand in Negril, where the sea moves at its own pace and reggae feels less like music and more like atmosphere, conversations tend to drift naturally toward rhythm, memory, and meaning. It’s the perfect place to meet someone whose life has been shaped by sound rather than geography.

Known on air as Johnny Reggae, he hosts a weekly reggae program on EFFRA Community Radio, a South London–based internet station built around community, culture, and volunteer spirit. Every Wednesday evening, listeners tune in not just for familiar rhythms, but for selections chosen with care, curiosity, and respect for the music’s roots.

What makes his journey compelling is that it began far from Jamaica. Raised in northern England, he had no early exposure to reggae culture, no family connection, no inherited playlists. Then one day, the music landed. Not loudly, not suddenly—but deeply. The rhythm drew him in, but it was the emotion and meaning beneath the surface that stayed with him.

Listening became learning. Albums led to liner notes, liner notes to books, and books to a wider understanding of Jamaica’s social and political history. Over time, reggae stopped being just something to enjoy and became something to understand. The voices, the struggles, the joy, the resilience—it all mattered. Even without having lived those experiences firsthand, the message resonated.

That depth shows up in the way he listens. Not just to lyrics, but to what’s happening underneath them. The bass line choices, the organ phrasing, the occasional harmonica that most ears glide past. Sometimes the curiosity gets very specific—who played that part, where was it recorded, why does it sound different from the rest? The answers don’t always come, but the search itself is part of the pleasure.

The move into radio wasn’t planned. It grew out of a chance conversation in Negril with someone connected to EFFRA, sparked by a shared love of reggae. The suggestion was simple: take that knowledge and put it on air. From there, a show was born—broadcast from home using modern technology, but grounded firmly in old-school respect for the music.

EFFRA Community Radio reflects that same balance. Based in South London and deeply connected to the Caribbean diaspora, it operates entirely on passion. Nobody is paid. Everyone contributes because they believe in what they’re sharing. The station streams worldwide, and the reach has surprised even its presenters, with listeners tuning in from Canada, Europe, and places you wouldn’t normally associate with reggae culture.

There’s humility in the way the show is presented. The history is there, but it never overwhelms the music. The goal isn’t to lecture—it’s to let the songs speak, to give people space to connect in their own way. Some listeners already know the culture inside out. Others just feel the rhythm and want to dance. Both are welcome.

Later in life, learning he was autistic helped explain the intensity of focus and deep dives into subjects that truly matter to him. It didn’t change anything—it simply put a name to a trait that had always been there. When something sparks interest, it gets explored fully. In this case, that spark happens to be reggae.

At 62, becoming a radio host wasn’t part of any long-term plan. Yet it fits. A couple of hours a week, a bit of preparation, a lot of listening, and the chance to keep the music alive in a small but meaningful way. Not for recognition, not for status—just for the love of it.

Reggae has always travelled well. From Kingston to London, from vinyl to digital streams, from beaches to city flats. Through people like Johnny Reggae, it continues to move quietly across borders, reminding listeners that when music connects properly, it carries more than sound.

It carries feeling. And when it hits right, you feel no pain.

Listen to the interview with Johnny Reggae live from Negril Jamaica

About the Interviewer

Don Woodstock is an acclaimed author, environmentalist, and well-known public voice whose work blends social consciousness, sustainability, and culture. His latest book uniquely pairs literature with music, featuring two conscious reggae roots songs produced by TDS Sound Labs. Learn more about his work at https://donwoodstockunrelenting.com/. TDS Sound Labs has also released its first dancehall project, available here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2EoEO7fIWdmOH6lFJOga7X.