John Holt dominates one wall of a central space at Ken Boothe's home museum. Benjy Myaz is at right.

Ken Boothe, with his twinkling toes, immaculate outfits, strong voice and large catalogue of hits, has brought back memories for many thousands of concert-goers. And Mr Rocksteady, who counts Puppet on a String and Freedom Street among his many hits, has decided to keep his musical memories close to him in his St Andrew home.

So the images of many of those who have been in the studio and etched their names into the groove of the public are on the walls of his home, which has been turned into a photo museum. Music resonates from the walls in still life, as living space and photographs co-exist comfortably in various rooms (a large dining table is close to an awards display), with a large central space being dedicated solely to the photographs.

Naturally, there are many images of Boothe at different stages of his long music career, including a picture of himself and Alton Ellis on their first tour to England when Boothe was 19 years old.

"I have to have all these people around me," Boothe told The Sunday Gleaner. "Who could ever forget them?"

Putting the photographs together has been an ongoing process, which eventually developed into the display. "Whenever I buck up a photo anywhere I always try to get a print of it, if not the original," Boothe said.

Among those who have made it into Boothe's home are musicians Winston Grennan (who Boothe points out played drums on Freedom Street) and Tony Greene, poet Yasus Afari, radio personality Jeff Sarge and deejays Shaggy, Capleton, Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Spragga Benz, Mr Vegas and Shabba Ranks. Boothe points out that "I like deejays too. Deejay, it is music like any other music. Just have good lyrics in any music you do."

Politicians

There are also a couple politicians, as Boothe points out "even Edward Seaga I have here. He made a great contribution to the music. P.J. Patterson, who used to manage the Skatalites, he's not here yet". And Boothe also points to current Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, as someone who has made an immense contribution to Jamaican music who is to be added to his photo museum.

Producers Bunny Lee and King Jammys also beam from Boothe's walls.

But it is the singers who dominate numerically, Boothe pointing to Slim Smith ("who gone before everybody") and Joseph Hill ("who just gone whe day"). Also among those who are now singing on another plain is Garnet Silk.

Then there are the Heptones, Jimmy Riley, Admiral Tibet, Pam Hall, Nadine Sutherland, Cocoa Tea, Tinga Stewart and many others. Marcia Griffiths is one of those who get multiple-image treatment, the original Wailers getting a slot as well.

"This is what I want to see. Nobody does anything forever. I'm not ready to slow down yet. I'm still fit, but you need to set it up and pass on to the next generation. We make sure we have the memories that don't leave like people do," Boothe said.

"These are some pictures I'm going to shed tears of joy when I look back at my life, see places I performed and some friends."

Boothe said he got the idea to do a photo studio when "I went down to Bob Marley Museum one day. I look at it and say this is what all artistes should have at their home, so they can look back at their works and their friends. I think a photo museum is a good thing in this business where you take so many pictures."

On one shelf there is a collection of toy cars, along with a train, and Boothe chuckles as he says "our parents fed us, but they couldn't do what other parents did". So he has a small collection in homage to those days.

The photo museum is not yet totally finished, appropriate lighting in the central area is yet to be installed, but Boothe said many people have already been to visit. It will be open to the public and Boothe makes it clear that he does not plan to make money from his memories.

"Me no want no money. Who want to come and look at it come and look on it," he said. "Simplicity is the essence of everything. It is not all about me."