Honorary doctorate from UTech and icon award in Florida for Carlene Davis

Acclaimed gospel singer Carlene Davis already has the term ‘Doctor’ engraved beside her name, since she holds a Ph.D. in pastoral counselling. However, come Sunday, February 1, the ordained minister and graduate of the Ron Kenoly Praise Academy, will be ‘baptised’ as a doctor for a second time when she receives the honorary title from the University of Technology (UTech). Davis-Cowan will be conferred the Honorary Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) in honour of her “phenomenal achievements in music, ministry and humanitarian outreach”.

The ceremony was originally scheduled for November last year, but was postponed owing to the passage of Hurricane Melissa. February is actually Davis’s birth month and what better way for her to start it off than accepting another accolade on her musical journey. Moreover, she will close the month by receiving an Icon Award in Florida. Davis, who has enjoyed a stellar career, is “grateful, honoured and humbled”.

“Well, it was a moment of reflection,” a sincere Davis shared with The Gleaner. “What have I done with my life? Was it about me or was it about what the creator desired of me? His attributes to the world around me, knowing that I’ll never be perfect, but I am following in the footsteps of Christ and such rewards as this is to the glory of God. How He is working through us and around us, so accolades as this again is to the glory of God.”

Born on February 23, in Colonels Ridge, Clarendon, Carlene Davis started focusing on her music career in a meaningful way as a teen, following her relocation to England when she was 14. Performing in bands as both a guitarist and vocalist, she made her professional début, and started gaining recognition in the early 1980s as a successful female solo reggae artiste. Among her early hits were It Must Be Love, Going Down to Paradise, Dial My Number, and Like Old Friends Do.

For Davis, who later fully embraced Christianity, a move which saw a shift in her recording output, this period is considered her “secular phase”. She released 15 albums and performed across the globe in places, such as Europe, Japan, Canada, North and South America, and the Caribbean, as a female reggae ambassador. She was signed to big name record labels including Gee Street/Polygram Records in the USA, Cutting Edge Records in Japan, and VP Records in New York.

Thirty years ago, Davis had a turning point in her life after a breast cancer diagnosis. This led her to rededicated her life to Christ and, with her husband, Tommy Cowan at her side, she seamlessly structured her music to gospel flavoured with reggae and dancehall beats. She gained thousands of new fans, while keeping her old ones.

Currently an internationally acclaimed recording artiste and praise and worship leader, Davis has been one of the most consistent female gospel artistes on the scene. She was voted Best Gospel Artiste – Female by The Gleaner for 2025. And, 2026 is already looking great. Davis listed out the events confirmed for the rest of January, going into Reggae Month, February.

On Saturday January 23, Dr Carlene Davis will headline the gospel festival ‘One Mega Weekend’ Guyana. On February 1, she will be conferred the Honorary Doctor of Letters from UTech, alongside Sheryl Lee Ralph and Everton G. Hunter.

“On Saturday, February 14, my husband and I will celebrate Valentine’s Day, live in concert dubbed ‘Heart of Love’ at the Starliner Seafood Restaurant, Plantation Village in St Ann. On February 26th my husband and I are invited to the 2026 Reggae Icon Awards where we will receive the Marcus Garvey Award from the City of Miramar [Florida] in celebration of Reggae Month and Black History Month in acknowledgement of our contributions, leadership, and lasting impact on our community and culture.

“On February 28, I will be headlining the inaugural edition of ‘Glory In Paradise’ Gospel Festival at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium in Dominica, alongside Positive, Blessed Messenger, Sinach, Ada Ehi, and Travis Greene.”

She continued, “From April 1-6, I am booked for the Love & Harmony Cruise, produced by Beres Hammond, which will take us from Miami, Fl, stops in Freeport Bahamas, Ocho Rios, and back to Miami, Florida with an evening of Praise & Worship along with Marion Hall on Easter Sunday, April 5. The series of events onboard also features Beres Hammond, Maxi Priest, Romain Virgo, Busy Signal, Agent Sasco, Pinchers and Tanya Stephens.”

Davis promised that there is”more is to come”.

“I will continue releasing songs, making videos and striving to contribute to humanity and seek to win souls for the Kingdom of God,” the gospel minister proclaimed.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com