Thomas Cowan

Thomas ‘Tommy’ Cowan

Director – Record Producer, Performer, Artist Manager, Emcee

Thomas Cowan (b. Thomas Lincoln Cowan, 6 April 1946, Saint Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica) is a producer and singer, initially working in reggae but later concentrating on gospel, who has been involved in the music business since the 1960s. He is also an ordained Gospel minister.

Tommy Cowan entered the music business in the mid-1960s as a member of The Merricoles, a vocal group who won a local talent contest. The group changed their name to The Jamaicans in 1967, and won the Jamaican Song Festival with the Duke Reid-produced “Baba Boom”, which also topped the Jamaican chart. More hits followed in the form of “Sing Freedom”, “Things You Say You Love”, and “Woman Go Home”, before the group split up.

He then took up a job as Sales & Marketing manager at Byron Lee’s Dynamic Studios, which gave him the experience needed to move into record production, working with artists including Jacob Miller and Inner Circle, Earl Zero, Ray I, Leroy Smart, Ras Michael, The Cimarons, Dean Stone, and Junior Tucker.  Cowan became Inner Circle’s manager and set up the Top Ranking record label. Cowan also worked as a Master of Ceremonies at Reggae Sunsplash festivals and at the One Love Peace Concert, organized by Bob Marley. 

In 1982, he released an album, The King’s Music, credited to Tommy Cowan & Thunder, and featuring musicians such as Willie Lindo, Robbie Lyn, Lloyd Parks, Bongo Herman, and Dean Fraser, with backing vocals from his wife Carlene Davis, and Beres Hammond.

In 1998 Tommy, together with his wife Carlene, began Vessel Ministries and today they both operate the Judah Recording Studio and the Glory Music record label, concentrating on Gospel music. Cowan is also the producer of Jamaica’s largest Christian music festival, Fun in the Son.

Awards

Tommy Cowan has received various musical accolades from organizations such as the Jamaica Federation of Musicians, Rockers Awards, the JAMI Awards, and Martin’s International Reggae & World Music Awards. He received the Rocksteady Union Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Jamaican music, and both the Mega Jamz Award and Maja awards for Gospel Promoter of the Year in 2007.

He was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from the Trinity Theological Seminary of South Florida for his work in the Gospel, and he is also ordained as a Gospel minister.

In October 2007, Tommy Cowan was awarded the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) by the Jamaican Government.

He serves on the JAMMS Board and also sits on its Governance Committee.