Bob Marley at the Sunsplash Festival, Montego Bay, Jamaica. (1979)

Bob Marley at the Sunsplash Festival, Montego Bay, Jamaica. (1979)Founded by Synergy Productions, the inaugural Reggae Sunsplash took place June 23 28, 1978 in the islands resort capital of Montego Bay and featured six nights of dusk til dawn concerts showcasing several of Jamaicas finest reggae acts. Green says at least 70% of the audience at the inaugural Sunsplash didnt pay for their tickets; some scaled walls and others broke down fences to gain free entry, which resulted in a devastating financial loss.

Founded by Synergy Productions, the inaugural Reggae Sunsplash took place June 23-28, 1978 in the island’s resort capital of Montego Bay and featured six nights of dusk-til-dawn concerts showcasing several of Jamaica’s finest reggae acts.

Green says at least 70% of the audience at the inaugural Sunsplash didn’t pay for their tickets; some scaled walls and others broke down fences to gain free entry, which resulted in a devastating financial loss. Uncertain if they could afford to stage the 1979 festival, Synergy’s fortunes quickly turned around when Marley agreed to join that year’s lineup, which would turn out to be his final performance in Jamaica. “When Bob Marley was advertised, we sold so many tickets, every hotel room in Montego Bay was booked out, also in Negril and Falmouth and beyond,” Burke recalls. “People even slept in the Miami airport trying to get flights into Jamaica.”