Penny Providence is an accomplished musician, event planner, producer, booking agent and entertainment manager who has built a name for herself in the Caribbean Canadian Music Industry. She is the President and CEO of Pen-Pro Entertainment, a full-service management and production company striving to make a difference in the entertainment industry.
Penny has over twenty-five years of experience working in all aspects of the entertainment industry, which includes being the past Entertainment Director for Toronto’s Annual Jerk Food & Music Festival for over 17 years and planning and producing the Annual Caribbean Music & Entertainment Awards in its 7th year.
Working in the entertainment industry was not something Penny planned. Over time she found herself naturally evolving in the entertainment business. “I started out teaching Afro-Carib Dance and having a Caribbean Youth Choir and found entertainment for cultural events like Carassauga and Carabram many years ago”, she said. “Then I started managing bands, producing shows and I had acquired a roster of cultural artists and performers that I was working with, so I decided to start my Pen-Pro Full-Service Entertainment Company”.
In addition to devoting herself to her own business, maintaining her full-time career in the Justice System and running her own entertainment business, she dedicates her time to managing her daughter’s musical career as the Manager for Rayzalution Band, Canada’s All-Female Reggae Band.
Penny Providence is an accomplished musician. She is known by many as the leader and bass player in the now-defunct all-female band Sweet Sensation. Penny grew up in a household filled with music, her father was a musician, and her mother sang in church, so her transition was natural. “During high school, I had the opportunity to play the bass drums in the steel pan group and loved it”, she said. “However, I migrated to Canada and met my late husband Raymond McKnight (RIEP) who was a bass player, and he was playing one day, and he put the bass guitar in my hands and said play, so I did what I saw him doing and the rest is history”.
Her daughter has now followed in her footsteps and plays the bass guitar and leads Canada’s All-Female Reggae Band Rayzaluton. “It’s gratifying and proud, she keeps her father’s memories alive. I am very fulfilled knowing that she is carrying on a legacy”.
Penny is a professional who is humble and motivated to continue working hard and being great at what she does. “My goal is to continue to work with young artists and entertainers in many facets in their career to preserve Caribbean Music and Culture”, she said. “My passion for music and the arts will never go away. I enjoy every bit of the music industry”, Penny continued. “I enter every role with professionalism and do all transactions with business in mind and to succeed”.
For 2022, Penny Providence is primarily focused on working with Rayzalution Band. She is also excited about the Caribbean Music Awards returning in 2023!!
