[Ads-l] Antedating of "Reggae" (Music)

[Ben Zimmer]

I shared this cite way back in Jan. 2005.

https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2005-January/045320.html

On Sun, Nov 16, 2025 at 2:55 PM Shapiro, Fred <
00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

> See below for antedating discovered by Dave Wilton.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
>
> reggae (OED, 2., 1968 [22 Nov.])
>
> And the earliest known appearance in print of the name is in an
> advertisement in Kingston, Jamaica’s Daily Gleaner on 7 September 1968 for
> a band that was covering Hibbert’s song:
> TONIGHT! TONIGHT!
> THE “BOSS” SOUND
> is back at the RAINBOW CLUB
> with a
> 360° SOUND HAPPENING
> JAMAICA’S GREATEST
> Sonny Wong   Victor Wong   Derrick Herriot “The Preacher”
> Skaing Souls[?]-Crazy Mood
> This Music Got Soul
> THE MIGHTY VIKINGS
> Come do this
> Brand New Dance
> THE REGGAE
> Hear these new Fab. Tunes:
> •  Don’t tell to Mary
> •  Watch the sound
> •  Love makes a woman
> •  Lovers Holiday
> •  Red Red wine
> •  Reggae
> •  Got the Rhythm
>
>
>

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