About Me
Traveling from the coastal plains to the forested mountains, the unique beat of an island people captured the heart of a young American. The rhythm was enchanting, mesmerizing, real. The people behind it were devout and passionate. Reggae music was like nothing Gary Himelfarb had ever experienced.From the late ‘70s, Gary often returned to Jamaica and stayed for months at a time. The people he met and the powerful roots of their culture inspired him to get involved in the music business and help bring Jamaican music to the world. Back in the States, he established a reputation as Doctor Dread, DJ for a major Washington DC radio station (WHFS), where the songs of reggae greats like Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff first reached the airwaves.In 1979, he founded a reggae record label and its sister publishing house to produce, promote and protect the rhythms of Jamaican musicians. He called the companies RAS Records and Tafari Music, invoking the legendary name of the Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie, Ras Tafari, meaning “Head Creator.†In 2004, Tafari Music expanded to include two companies—Tafari Music, Inc., for all artists registered with ASCAP, and Music By Tafari, Inc., for all artists registered with BMI.Today, the Tafari Music catalog features over 10,000 songs, including some of the most popular names in reggae and world beats. Songs we represent have been featured in major studio releases, motion pictures, television shows, national advertising campaigns and on Billboard Top 100 lists. Our artists have been recognized with Grammies, ASCAP Pop Music Awards, Jammies and Association for Independent Music (AFIM) Awards. Our songs are heard all over the world.In the spirit of our roots, Tafari Music has built its success on giving voice to one song, one artist and one issue at a time. Outside of the office, we do our part to support the artistic community. We license music to select charities, festivals and independent filmmakers for their projects. We are active in music piracy initiatives and have testified before the US Copyright Office Arbitration Committee, detailing the impacts of illegal internet downloads on our industry. We take pride in both our knowledge of the music industry and our participation in the many diverse programs it has to offer.As a creative and business-minded publishing company, Tafari Music adheres to the following principles: (1) We respect the creative process and all who bring music to the world; (2) We value hard work and getting the job done right the first time; (3) We admire honesty and treat people fairly.Tafari Music: Serving artists, writers, publishers and the entertainment industry since 1979.Profile edited with CricketSoda's Myspace Editor
