Kora

Hailing from New Zealand, the five-piece contemporary reggae outfit Kora operated largely as a family enterprise. Its lineup featured the four Kora brothers—Laughton handling guitar and vocals, Brad on drums and vocals, Stuart also on guitar and vocals, and Francis covering bass and vocals—alongside Dan McGruer, who contributed both bass and keyboards. The brothers first entered the music scene in the early ’90s under the name Auntie Beatrice, a project that captured multiple band competition titles and landed a recording contract. Kora itself took shape once Laughton and Francis teamed with McGruer to develop new material; that partnership produced the group’s chart-topping self-titled debut album in 2007. Loop Records issued the record, and the band earned widespread recognition for the strength of its live performances.