Waves of joy, excitement, and nostalgia rolled through Central Park as Morgan Heritage took the stage for their SummerStage show on Saturday, August 10. That evening, thousands of fans filled Rumsey Playfield for an event that served as a homecoming for the trailblazing Reggae band, a celebration of VP Records’ 45th anniversary, and a tribute to Peetah Morgan, the band’s beloved brother and lead singer, who tragically passed away in February. So, when the headliners began their set with the title track to their Grammy award winning album “Strictly Roots, accompanied by images of Peetah on the screen behind them, the massive crowd greeted them with a chorus of cheers.
The event, produced by the City Parks Foundation in partnership with Capital One and presented by VP Records and CTBC Music Group, marked a pivotal moment for the Grammy-winning group, returning to New York City to reconnect with their roots their hometown since the ascension of their beloved Peetah Morgan. Siblings and band members Gramps, Lukes, Mojo, and Una, along with Gramps’ son, Jemere Morgan, played beloved hits like “Down by the River,” “Brooklyn and Jamaica,” and “Mount Zion Medley,” while also using the show to bridge the gap between past and future. Throughout their set, they honored their late patriarch Denroy Morgan and introduced a new generation of talent through Bria Ariel, Priel, Raiah and Esh Morgan, who are carrying the torch forward for the “Royal Family of Reggae.
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