Olivia "Babsy" Grange, today commended Jamaican singer, Burning Spear, on winning the 2009 Reggae Grammy.

Spear, a native of St. Ann's Bay, was named winner of the Grammy for Best Reggae Album for his "Jah Is Real" at Sunday's annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

This was the second time that Spear(real name Winston Rodney) was winning the award, having won in 2000 with "Calling Rastafari." He has been nominated for the Grammy 12 times since the release of his album, "Resistance", in 1986.

Miss Grange noted that Spear was carrying on the tradition of his illustrious parishioners, the National Hero, the Rt. Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey, and the international music icon, Bob Marley, in terms of both the content of his music and the success of career, as well as the desire of most reggae fans to keep the music real and relevant.

"Burning Spear's win this year is both timely and deserving, as we in Jamaican contemplate the value of our music in terms of its contribution to our social and economic upliftment, versus personal gratification at the expense of our morals and our principles," she said.

She urged the young musicians to take a leaf out of Burning Spear's book, and to take special note of the fact that over the almost 38 years he has been recording, he has never wavered from promoting the advancement of the poor and oppressed, worldwide, despite the many temptations to do otherwise.

She called on the other nominees to look at the result as an inspiration rather than a loss, and expressed the hope that it will spur them and their contemporaries to even greater heights during the ensuing years.