You have several artists in Jamaican music that never got the true recognition they were due, even though they had a few hit songs during a short period it didn't make them a mainstay in the business, but the material itself certainly suggested something else - such as Delano Stewart, a foundation member of the mighty Gaylads trio. Even if we're talking a vocal group - also a self-contained band at one stage - The Gaylads were, more or less, the brainchild of Harris 'BB' Seaton (himself one of the most gifted songwriters in the music), and not of his then partners Maurice Roberts and Winston Delano Stewart, the latter who penned such 'evergreen' songs as 'Joy In The Morning' among others. But it is arguably Delano who was the most talented singer of the three of them, not the least shown on his sole album, cut for Sonia Pottinger in 1969 entitled 'Stay A Little Bit Longer', where his songwriting ability came into full bloom as well. It is truly a magnificent collection of songs, some of them has become enduring classics in Jamaican music and redone over and over through the years. To reel them off, would these song titles be familiar to you: 'Let's Have Some Fun', 'Stay A Little Bit Longer', 'Rock With Me Baby' (aka 'Dance With Me') and, perhaps, the biggest of them all, 'That's Life'? I believe they would, if not done in original form by the master himself, then most likely by singers such as Linval Thompson, Ronnie Davis or Johnny Clarke. I'm pretty sure producer Bunny Lee had a soft spot for Delano once upon a time, this was apparent especially in the seventies, and it is understandable; Delano was and is a rare gem, hence all those recuts by some of Lee's protegés at the time. Unfortunately, Delano had left the island and migrated to the United States at the height of his Jamaican popularity in 1969 and made only sporadic recordings thereafter which, naturally, was an unfortunate waste of an unusual talent. Seldom has his story been told, and so it was about time to put the spotlight on - in my opinion at least - one of the overlooked giants of the music. Delano is a delightful, humble, jovial and down-to-earth type of individual and it was a real pleasure to get some insights of his story and way too short a career. I hooked up with him in the Bronx, New York, in January 2004. Thanks to Winston, BB Seaton, Bob Schoenfeld, Tim P, Tony Rounce, and Steve Barrow.

Q: Let's go back first of all to where you were born and grew up and how the singing started, how you seriously got into music in the fifties?

A: Oh, OK. Yes, it started when I was in school, I was like twelve or something like that, and I went on theVere John Opportunity Hour. It used to be a show in the western part of Kingston. They search for talent, you could go and they have a competition, y'know. So, I went there once and I remember singing a successful song at that first try (chuckles). And then you go on and on (laughs)! They make you continue until you go to the final. But, y'know, the beginning too I just did it like... just for kids, like. We all gathered, just kids from school, some would go dancing and all that. Then I met this guy Richard Ace at one talent show. I think it was at two theatres then, one was on the east side, that was I think in the late fifties - no, early sixties, it was just about the sixties, and then he was forming a group. I was just aged like fourteen, and he formed a group with Boris Gardiner and Dennis Moss.

Q: Was that the Rhythm Aces?

A: Rhythm Aces, yes. Yeah, I was in that group but it was only for a short time I was there and the group lasted. We made a couple of songs like 'A Thousand Teardrops', 'Christmas', couple more. Yeah. And then the group break up somewhat.

Q: What was the reason?

A: The breaking up? Well, my terms of it is that African brother Dennis - Dennis Moss, he moved (laughs)! He just left, he just quit the group for some reason, odd reason, and that just dismantled everything. Yeah (laughs)! Then BB (Harris 'Bibby' Seaton, aka 'Horace') was living in the mid east area where Boris was living, I spoke with him occasionally and we saw (each other), that's when I met BB and he... I don't think he had graduated, but he was coming out of college. But he was just idle, just living there and not doing anything (laughs)! But then we started to sing a little bit, did some kind of rehearsing together, and that's how the Gaylads had started. He introduced me to Maurice (Roberts), who lived not too far from where he was, and that's where the Gaylads started, that's in the early sixties, and...

Q: But what about your early days, before we move into the Gaylads, the neighborhood you were brought up in, and so on? What was the surroundings?

A: Oh, I was in Kingston and...

Q: When were you born, was it January 1940 (as stated in a liner note a few years back)?

A: '47, and in Western Kingston. And there they call it Whitfield Town, it just borders from Trench Town, they were figuring if it was like the same neighborhood (chuckles). You know? Yeah. And I was relatively poor, but we were...

Q: It was a large family?

A: We had a family of five, mother and father. My sisters and brothers we all grow up as five children.

Q: What did your parents work with?

A: My father he was a driver of some sort for the KECB (?) in Jamaica, and my mother was a housewife, they are both deceased by now. But then my second sister she was the one who went farther with education. All of my sisters and my brothers they all went on to high school, college of some sorts. I'm the only one who didn't go on through I... was kept up with entertainment, I guess. Then I was on the North Coast, when I worked with the Rhythm Aces I was on the north coast, and worked with...

Q: You worked in Montego Bay?

A: Yeah, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, mainly in Ocho Rios we were. And I'm trying to remember if it was Howard Butler...? This is way back then (laughs)! Howard Butler, and there was this next kid, there's quite a few entertainers - Tony Gregory, and there's other people, but I just can't remember names as such. One guy who used to sing like Fanso Diamond, as kids we were all there, you see, in the entertainment field or whatever they would call it (laughs)!

Q: The Rhythm Aces was like your first real experience with a group, nothing before that?

A: Yeah, yeah. But I knew Jackie Edwards even before then, he was the one that had faith in...

Q: He was from Whitfield Town too?

A: Yeah, as far as... yeah, he was from the same neighborhood. His father was a tailor, and I happened to be learning (chuckles) the trade as tailor from his father, that's how I met him. And then he became quite a star.

Q: When could this have been, mid fifties or so? Must have been something like that, because Jackie was one of the first recording artists on the island, so somewhere around the mid fifties I suppose.

A: Yeah, it was like in the late fifties, yeah. Right, late fifties.

Q: And it was him and Owen Gray, Alton (Ellis), Skully & Bunny, Lascelles Perkins, Theophilius Beckford and Derrick at that time?

A: And Derrick Morgan and... trying to get back into remembering some of those (laughs)! But there was one guy, he was one of the first real recording stars.

Q: You mean Laurel Aitken?

A: Ahh! Laurel, that's it. That's the name, yeah. He was one of the first recording artists.

Q: Yeah. He had a stroke, recently (and has since passed earlier this year).

A: Yeah, yeah. But Wilfred (Jackie) was one of the first ones who got back from the States, y'know (laughs), we tried to... OK, tried a song or so. Then, like I said, I went on to where I met BB and we would be writing, BB and...

Q: This is after the Rhythm Aces now, you still played with them?

A: Yeah, after the Rhythm Aces. It wasn't quite a long trip with the Rhythm Aces, I guess this is coming right into the sixties. Rhythm Aces had lasted like maybe two or so years and...

Q: But Rhythm Aces didn't play ska, you played more of a variety, Rhythm & Blues, ballads, and so on.

A: No, no. Yeah. More like a ballad, yeah. It wasn't no original, nutten of our own until we do 'A Thousand Teardrops' and 'Christmas' songs, yeah. It was all like that back then - ballads. You know, Boris was the (laughs) - it was then the music was just starting to develop, because that's when I met BB and, y'know, right then it was in the ska era, with Prince Buster and Derrick Morgan.

Q: So ska came around the time you started, or was it there already? Or was the boogie or Rhythm & Blues still ruling the dancehalls?

A: No, no. It was just about in, started to come about then, the era. And Prince Buster and Derrick Morgan they was on top of it, really. But I think it was Richard Ace who introduced me to Coxson, Mr Dodd. BB and myself we were both singing, just me and him, we were doing harmonies together. BB sang solo on some of the songs (laughs) and we worked together some of the time.

Q: But Coxson encouraged you both to sing not only together but solo as well, at that time, right?

A: Yeah, yeah. It was some sort of way to (laughs) making some more money to whatever you can. It was quite a - I can't find the right word to say, but it was like a hustling. Yes, so whatever amount you could do of work in that day and you get an amount for that work, so... you know? Yeah.

Q: What else did the Rhythm Aces record by the way, other than the two songs mentioned? Because you went to Chris Blackwell at one point - any recordings that came out of this? It was those two?

A: Yeah, with the Rhythm Aces? There were these two widely played music ('A Thousand Teardrops' and 'Christmas Song'), yeah. Chris Blackwell did those two.

Q: And he released them both in England and Jamaica.

A: Yeah, but (chuckles) being as a kid... I saw him once after the group broke up and he had some statements that we get, a penny off of each record, or whatever, and he never fulfilled the payment. So I said to him that the money for our work wasn't actually laid up. Because (chuckles) I couldn't get a lawyer to talk with him, I never spoke with him after then, y'know what I mean? But this was back in the sixties, late sixties, I think.

Q: Did the Rhythm Aces continue for a while after you left?

A: No, no. Boris went on solo. Richard Ace, he became more musically inclined on guitar and piano.

Q: Doing more session work in other words.

A: Yeah, yeah. And Dennis, I didn't see Dennis anymore, he... oh, my gosh! He just wrap up! No, yeah, I saw him once. I was going to MoBay on the train once and I saw him get on the train one stop, so way down in the country, in the rural parts of the country, he said he was doing some odd things (chuckles). This t'ing was true, he had taken one of the stools, he could've taken my stool instead of (laughs)...

Q: (Laughs)

A: You know? It's things that happen, it's just one of them t'ings that happen. He was saying that he landed a trade as his father, like his grandfather. But some t'ings was kinda happening to Dennis that I can't even elaborate (?) about, y'know. But he was the one that start the group Rhythm Aces and they break up through his disappearance, y'know.

Q: And then you and BB recorded as the Diamond Twins?

A: Right, right!

Q: As Winston & Bibby too?

A: Yes. And then after that Maurice was in the group, so we became a trio.

Q: Wasn't there a solo recording you did before that called 'But I Do' for Studio One?

A: Yeah, I sang over that song, that was one of my early songs. And it was a couple more songs as doing that. I did one song amongst these, the Lord Creator song 'Evening News'.

Q: Yeah, sure. Classic.

A: There was quite a few songs. I can't recall them (laughs)! Thru I never kept it on record what I did, even the work with Gaylads that I've done, I can't... These songs maybe never get published, or get on a limited label, like, and even then we did some songs for Federal.

Q: Even under contract to Coxson? I assume this was after you split from Studio One, or you sang under a different name?

A: Yeah, after Coxson I don't know, it was West Indies, not Federal. West Indies Records, their studio.

Q: WIRL, West Indies Recording Limited, right.

A: I don't know... if it's 'WIRL', but it was West Indies then.

Q: I think it was Edward Seaga who owned that, one of the main owners anyway.

A: Maybe. Now I'm not sure (laughs)! But we did some more and it never got released, there was some original work and we never hear anything about it. Yeah, I did quite some work for him, maybe BB would have known thru he keep up more with what was happening. So when I left I left the business and I just kinda drop it all off. When I came here - I think it was in '76 - I put out ('Spinning Wheel') like I was telling you earlier, it was just me bribing around and it did pretty well. I can't guess the name of the man or who it was - he's from England, but we traded tapes and that's a next thing (chuckles); I never get by my money or account of what happened to it in England. But the song was 'Spinning Wheel' that I put out in the seventies, y'know.

Q: Yes, we're coming to that later. Who came up with the name 'The Gaylads', was that after you and BB met Maurice?

A: Yeah, yeah. BB comes up to - I wanted it to remain 'The Diamonds', he wanted 'The Gaylads' (chuckles)! Maybe he was a very persistent guy then, so... You know, that's how it initially went, the Gaylads. But it was another thing with the group by pickin' (on me) sometime after - they said like 'Hey!', is like I was kinda lazy sometime (laughs), or whatever. But I don't think that was the account of me being locked up basically about the whole thing, it's just I couldn't put a pinpoint down what was happening, I just think I wasn't still - nothing wasn't still fairly, y'know what I'm trying to say? So I was kinda reluctant in most of the work. So while we were in Coxson's studio, BB used to go there every day, every day - and Maurice, and I was just (chuckles) passing thru whenever I hear we got some recordings to do. Because then I come that day, but the other work that has to be done, like backing-up parties and all that, I didn't think that's for me (laughs)! So I didn't do much.

Q: You just didn't participate as much as was required?

A: No, I did, but...

Q: At least not on a regular basis like the other two?

A: No, through to the money wasn't right, mixed in with all that. But I did work, I did work most of the songs in them days.

Q: What was some of the early hits you had with the Gaylads?

A: It's all on the island (?), all on the island - 'Lady With The Red Dress', 'You Should Never Do That'. There's quite a bit of songs BB wrote. It's not really him write all the lyrics but it is work that we all collaborated and put together, but he (laughs), y'know, get all the claim. Not all he wrote, but most of them he wrote. But it's all a collaboration between him and myself, and even Maurice. Maurice (chuckles) wrote very little but he has done (some songs).

Q: He was part of it too.

A: Yeah, yeah. Everybody is putting their contribution, BB is like (laughs)... OK, he was like a bit ahead of us and he'd take a line from anywhere and...

Q: You mean he took a line or suggestion here and there from you or Maurice, and put that together, or some by-standers at the studio?

A: Not really us but like other artists that came to the studio and he used to what you'd call interviewing them.

Q: No, you mean 'audition'?

A: Yeah, audition (laughs)! I mean, he was like an assistant that work there, y'know what I mean (laughs)? But he was still a good writer in his own way. Most of the work he was more efficient, he could put the sentences together. You might have a line and then he would get it all together.

Q: Where was the Gaylads' rehearsal spot, where were you guys based at the time, mainly Trench Town?

A: No, no. It was in Vineyard Town and then we go to Rollington Town. It was basically in Rollington Town.

Q: But there was a lot of activity at the time in Joe Higgs' yard in Trench Town, and the Gaylads hung out there with the rest of the music community. You were there too?

A: Yeah, that's the Wailers.

Q: Yeah, the Wailers and a lot of other vocal groups, and Ken Boothe, Stranger Cole. I heard the Gaylads came there occasionally to rehearse?

A: I don't recall going there but I'm familiar with it, through I went to school in Denham Town, and Boys Town. Trench Town - I walked through there to get home, y'know. But other than that, Ken Boothe, they came out - we were on the east side and they were on the west side, the other side was on the west side that you mentioned, near to Boys Town. And then we form a band and that's one of the great (laughs) things that maybe BB was thinking that hey, let's go playing some instruments, so (laughs)... We actually got a band together, in that short space of time. We made a few recordings also. I can't even recall them (laughs) but we made a few recordings, with Slim Smith, on one of his early songs I think we backed him up once.

Q: So who played what in the band, you played bass, or?

A: No, Maurice was the bass player. BB play one of the guitars, I played one of the guitars.

Q: And on drums?

A: There was this guy named Shan, I forget what was his name but he was the drummer.

Q: Shand?

A: Shan, Shan... Winston something...?

Q: Winston Shand? Could it be him, because it was actually one Winston Shand who recorded for Harry Mudie (the brilliant 'Time Is The Master', this was a different character though, real name Winston Fallen aka 'Shan', a local friend on the street corner that BB taught to play drums at the time)? So he played drums, that's interesting.

A: He played in that group named Light of Sheba (probably referring to Cedric Brooks' embryonic afro/reggae/jazz fusion band The Light of Saba) back then, that was when I left the island so it should have been in the early seventies. But I remember that I know his name is Winston, but I can't remember the last name (laughs)!

Q: I know about one Winston Shand, could be that guy, perhaps.

A: But this guy Shan...? I don't think that Shan was his last name, 'Shan' was like a nickname, like just a name, y'know. I'm trying to recall his name, maybe Collins, Callender...?

Q: You mean Fil Callender (of In Crowd fame)?

A: No, Winston, Winston Callender (Fallen), he played in the band. We sung one of the songs that BB was... oh gosh! I forget. But we record quite a few artists, and we played on shows and all that. The band was doing well, y'know, cause it was...

Q: It's not that well-known that the vocal trio Gaylads was actually a self contained back-up band as well, is it (chuckles)?

A: Yeah, right. We did all that.

Q: But you were still called The Gaylads as an instrumental group, not switching to something else, an alias, when backing people up?

A: Yeah, yeah. As still the Gaylads, yeah.

Q: So you backed Slim Smith, anyone else you can recall?

A: Yeah, the guy Bumps, this guy they called him Bumps Oakley. Yeah, Bumps Oakley, he sang over one of the...

Q: He did something for Coxson like 'A Get A Lick', I think he ended up being a teacher later on.

A: Yeah, he sung quite a lot of mini hits on the island, was songs that we back up. And it was other artists but I just can't recall them. Yeah, within that period we made (laughs)... Jackie, Jackie always accompany us on the recordings, most of the time on the keyboard.

Q: Jackie who? Jackie Mittoo I assume?

A: Jackie Mittoo. He was always there, yeah.

Q: What is some of your most cherished memories of being in the Gaylads now?

A: Yeah, the thing is that I remember when Bob he came - Bob and the Wailers, they came to Coxson and we would all sing together, Bob would always be (laughs)... singin'. I mean as soon as he get up, 'cos (laughs) he got his guitar and he always goes - every so often we'd jam together, yeah, that's one of the (high) points.

Q: And that would mostly be at Brentford Road?

A: Yeah. And I mean it's a long time but I just don't recall much, and there's other things. But like I'm talking over the top, I can't think of it but that's the only thing that is about in my mind now.

Q: Then the Gaylads broke up for a while and BB left to play at hotels on the North Coast, what did you do then? He played out as 'Bibby & The Astronauts' while you and Maurice stayed in Kingston.

A: Oh, yeah, they went there. Well, I think that's the time I went to Mrs Pottinger and laid a few songs.

Q: What really happened, in your words, what was the reason for the break-up when you left the Gaylads - did Mrs Pottinger actually split the group, that has been said more than once, or what was the circumstances around this?

A: I can't recall what happened. But whatever it is they decided to go on and, y'know, I went another way. Then I remember one of my kids, my first son, maybe its domestic, I don't know, can't even recall but my son was born, maybe that's how it started. I started look at it with different view an' t'ing (laughs)! Something in that line, and like I didn't think it was going down good at that time.

Q: OK, so family matters came in-between, your son was born in that period like '67/68?

A: '67, yeah.

Q: When did you join the Hippy Boys, was this before or after when you started to do solo recordings for High Note?

A: Oh, you mean when...? Oh, wow, yeah (laughs)! We worked, you see Family Man and his brother, they were living in Rollington Town, so they always pass by when I'm going, through I'm living on the west side, from the east side it take about... And there they'd always be playing their drum and bass, drum and bass.

Q: In the backyard.

A: Yeah, in the yard. It wasn't the back, it was on the front of a house, the veranda. But then Lloyd too -Lloyd Charmers, that's how we formed that band, how it started. Lloyd Charmers is someone I knew from Vere Johns at the time, all back when I was going to school. You know, he is the one who put this band together. Just for the distance - it's not the distance, I'm trying to think back why didn't I go (laughs)! But I didn't keep up with the rehearsal too much, when I do go. I think Glen Adams was then in the band also. You know Glen Adams?

Q: Yes, he was later in The Upsetters. I believe many think of him as an organist in that band now, but he did quite a few vocal tracks in those days, from rock steady to the early reggae. Very good singer in his day, and still singin'.

A: Right, right. Then I didn't keep up with the band as the Upsetters and then Family Man went on, and his brother went on, to work with Bob from there. But we had some show was to do up by Braithville (?), that's where we were doing a show. It's just something with that I don't - I get disappointed, I don't make it coming (laughs)!

Q: Did you record with Hippy Boys? I know about a few things, like they did some stuff for Bunny Lee, Harry Robinson, were you a part of that?

A: Well, it was one recording I did with the Hippy Boys, with Slim Smith.

Q: Who did you record it for? Bunny?

A: He sang for Bunny Lee, he was in the group - what's the group name...? Slim Smith had a...

Q: The Uniques, perhaps?

A: Yeah, he was - that's it! So 'Watch This Sound', and the flipside to that recording. Actually I arrange all of that, so somebody (laughs) took the credit from me for arranging the music, the musical part of it, y'know what I mean. Yeah, that recording. And with the Gaylads 'Born To Love You', that's when the Gaylads band was backing that up too. The Slim Smith original 'Born To Love You', the reggae version, yeah.

Q: Yeah? That's a nice cut.

A: Yeah, I think we did some of our own songs too, if I can recall that. Maybe not.

Q: Do you recall working with the Hippy Boys for people like Harry Robinson, or Nehemiah Reid? And one guy called Bart San Fillipo? Small independent producers at the time.

A: No, I don't recall that. It's only like I went from Chris Blackwell in the early days, and we went to Coxson, then Pottinger. Then there was this guy, I don't remember the name of that place, but he's a Chinese guy.

Q: Could it be the late Leslie Kong?

A: No, not the one downtown, he was in Barbican this guy. Jackie Opel, when he was here he introduced me to this man.

Q: Ah! Justin Yap, the Top Deck label?

A: Top Deck, yes! Top Deck label, this was a long time (laughs)! I can't recall but Jackie Opel had introduced me to him, and get me to do the songs that I did record for him.

Q: So you've recorded for Top Deck as well. I thought BB was the only one from the group who worked with Yap.

A: Yeah, I think I did. I'm trying to remember if I did, I think I did four songs (at least Bibby & The Astronauts had records for Yap's Top Deck imprint, like 'No More Will I Wonder', 'Sweet Dreams' and 'Dear Beverley'). But I never hear anything about that (laughs)! I don't recall that, I can't even remember the name or whatever, recording the songs.

Q: Was there a lot of animosity between you, Maurice and BB, I mean when you decided to go solo?

A: I'm trying to remember exactly what... BB them, I think they was on the North Coast, I'm not sure, but they make a recording and it make a hit and then someone - I think we went back together, in the group, we did record for Mrs Pottinger. So I'm not sure, I'm not quite remembering how this went but then we recorded together for Mrs Pottinger as the Gaylads. Maybe somewhere around there, that's when the split comes about, through as I say money can (laughs) break a lot of things, things like that happen. That's what I think caused the split.

Q: Did you work with anything else to support the family at this time?

A: No, it was strictly (laughs) recording. Yeah, it was recordings I dealt with, mainly as depending on bread on the table so much.

Q: Can you recall the first sessions for High Note, if tracks like 'That's Life' was among the first you cut, was it?

A: Yeah. That was the first recording for High Note. That's what I recall, the first recording I think.

Q: What inspired you for that song?

A: I heard the Frank Sinatra, 'That's Life'. You know what I mean? It spun from the Frank Sinatra song.

Q: Adjusting the lyrics to your own situation.

A: Exactly, I just put it in my own way of what's happening then, make it as near reality as I could, what was happening then, y'know. The things that I say, that my mother always say is like things that I did mention in it, it's always similar with the song (inaudible) also, so I just put that little bit in it, also.

Q: It was mainly Lyn Taitt & The Jets who Mrs Pottinger employed for the High Note sessions, correct? And people like the late Aubrey Adams on piano?

A: Maybe, maybe. Through I can't recall them, I can't... The only person I could remember is the bass player, and I still don't know, I can't remember his name (laughs)! It's a big guy.

Q: It's Jackie Jackson, wasn't it (Jackie tends to be a shadow over these interviews, 'the big dark guy with the bass'...)?

A: Yeah, yeah. That's it. Yeah, that big one (laughs)! All I could do was hiding when he was spotting me (laughs)! And Lyn Taitt, yeah.

Q: On guitar, yes.

A: Yeah.

Q: A true master of rock steady guitar. What was Lyn like to work with in those days?

A: Quite a smooth guy and he make all the arrangements, it was very smooth, very relaxed. You know what I mean (laughs)? Yeah, I always admired that he was a smooth guy in his arrangements. Everything coming out of that era, the rock steady, y'know, was him. And Gladstone Anderson, he was on the keyboards, he was quite a player.

Q: Where was this recorded, what studio did Mrs Pottinger use?

A: I think it was in West Indies. I'm not... Wow! You take me back (laughs)! I think it was West Indies (which later became Dynamic). It was... oh gosh! Yes, this was in West Indies, I'm trying to remember the engineer, it was quite an engineer. He work now at the consulate, he went.

Q: Would that be Graeme Goodall? A white guy, Australian.

A: No, no. It wasn't that man. It was - he used to work with JBC, Jamaican Broadcasting when he went with West Indies.

Q: It could be this guy 'Andy Capp'?

A: Yeah (laughs)! I think it's that guy, yeah. I think that's the guy.

Q: I believe his real name is Lynford Anderson.

A: Yeah, but he's here in New York. I haven't seen him for quite a while now but I've met him like every so often, quite a while back.

Q: So what did 'That's Life' do for you, it took off and hit the charts pretty fast for you and Mrs Pottinger, didn't it?

A: Yeah, but I didn't get nothing or much from it, through then I left the island somewhere around there, Mrs Pottinger would give my mother money from the royalties, but they never get much, or nutten. But whenever I visit the island she's always saying like 'Oh, yeah, we find the blues, I know' (laughs)! Like, I'm not aware of what's happening, I just let it go, let it go. But she received all of whatever I'd get, nothing much.

Q: What was Mrs Pottinger like to work with, what did she throw into the production, she was quite active in shaping the sound of your songs?

A: No. Nothing more than the financial part of it. That's how they do it, they finance it. She had a gentleman from RJR, her 'buddy' (chuckles), and he was always there and I don't know what he did, but he just stand there (laughs)! Other than the musicians to my stuff, she don't contribute to that part of it, other than the finance.

Q: So you laid tracks sporadically over, say, a one-year period between '68/69 before you left for the States? Then there was this album 'Stay A Little Bit Longer', she issued that when you had left I guess.

A: Yeah, she made it with the songs I did for her, she tried to compile it for an album, which I wasn't aware of for the longest time.

Q: It wasn't that many albums released in Jamaica by singers at this time, still, but she never suggested 'let's do an album' while you worked with her, it was never any concrete plans to do such a thing?

A: No, no. The only time she spoke about it was when I went back on the island, which was like after ten years. And I went to her place on business and I saw the album, like a room stuck with album covers, and I mean it's (laughs) - all my album covers that I'm seeing, like 'Wow! Hey!' (laughs)! Then she had the studio at the back, she never really take me up to the studio but there was the studio in the back, and all that, through somebody else told me all this. But she was always pretending, like 'Ohh, we still don't find the blues'. I tell her 'look!' (chuckles). She was saying like there was no money up in there for me, but she have a whole room full of the album covers. But I was trying. I try, and that's it (laughs)!

Q: A shame that you couldn't get what you were supposed to get, for such great work.

A: Yeah. That's just life, but I guess that's how it went. Maybe that got me kinda reluctant, I guess that kinda pull me away from it all.

Q: Your lyrics, the 'events' in them, what was rooted in real life and what was fictional? Like, for instance the superb 'Don't Believe In Him', that one sounds pretty desperate to me (laughs)!

A: (Laughs) Yeah! It's just stories like, y'know, you just try to be a good storyteller. That was just a fiction. There is somewhat I'd say, y'know, by percentage that some of it, maybe ten per cent.

Q: That was like from your own family situation?

A: Yeah. But the songs - my songwriting was basically on like story-book telling, y'know what I mean. I was just trying to put it together.

Q: What other songwriters did you look to for inspiration in those days?

A: Well, in the beginning when I met Boris, Boris' brother, he was a writer for the group.

Q: What's his name?

A: 'Taze', but they just call him 'Taze', or something like that. But I guess that was just a nickname, that was from his father, what they used to call him, and Boris. But then, writing, one of the early guys that I look upon was Stranger - Stranger Cole, he was quite a writer. He write songs (laughs), and what I admired with him is what he makes a song of - whatever he sees out there, man (laughs)! He makes it (into) a song, I mean through we tried a little bit together, Stranger. But he's always making songs, man! Always writing songs, quite a writer.

Q: You wrote together?

A: Well, y'know, if I did I don't recall but I'm sure I did, like put some input there. But is like I said we trod along for a while. But he is quite a writer, he make songs out of just about anything.

Q: If someone like Alton Ellis had some problems with his babymother at the time, it was said Coxson could be assured of a couple of hits out of the situation (laughs), but perhaps it wasn't the same type of friction how you had things familywise. Anyway, this can bring out some strong moments in music, that's for sure, stormy relationships.

A: Well, it was just like story-book telling. I was kinda happy-go-lucky like I say in my teenage, until my son came about. But then I still didn't know how to handle it, just like that I get out, I leave the island and gotta come to the US.

Q: When recording for Tip Top/High Note, and getting the first hits, were you approached by other producers? Can you recall any independents who wanted a piece of the action?

A: When I did it for Mrs Pottinger? I don't remember. To date I'm sure that guys like Bunny Lee, like he. But the only thing I did for him was like the recording with Slim Smith, I can't remember if that happened. Through I wasn't really that much for going out, like say well, OK, like I said I just keep to myself. Like most of the time I try to get from the east to the west, take the bus - I don't recall any other promoters as such.

Q: Well, if you kept being for yourself then they had a hard time finding you, so it sounds like you were a bit of a recluse in those days?

A: Well, yes, you could say something like that. True, I wasn't really an outgoing person as such, like with things that's happening (laughs), y'know what I mean.

Q: Right. I thought it was a bit strange that you never recorded for Duke Reid, did that ever cross your mind? 'Delano Stewart at Treasure Isle', nice thought somehow.

A: Well, even Stranger, me and Stranger was recording for Duke Reid, he tried to introduce me but I just wasn't interested. Somehow the area Duke Reid was in, it turned me off somewhat, and I just never go into that place, y'know what I mean. Even though I go to school right about in that area, but the recording spot - the atmosphere just wasn't right, as far as I'm concerned.

Q: I suppose you were aware of his reputation, with his guns and all that.

A: I heard, I heard. But he lives right there in Vineyard Town. But like I say I didn't deal with that man (laughs)!

Q: Scared?

A: No, through I was from a... when I leave school I was mostly inclined with the Rasta-ism, so that was how the whole thing was, y'know. I was trying to be with Rasta. Rastafari?

Q: Yes, I know about it. I never thought or expected that you were deeply involved with Rastafari though.

A: Yeah, even though I never did dread or so - but I was, back then. Through I met, when with the Rhythm Aces, I met these two man that went to Ethiopia to meet the Emperor.

Q: Right, one of them was Mortimer Planno.

A: And the other guy - Dougie, I met Dougie on the east and that's where I wind up at his place, and get a lot of tutoring, y'know what I mean? Just listening to what's happening and all that. So my upbringin', when I left school and started with the Rhythm Aces, I went right into the Rastaman camp.

Q: Where was that - in Bull Bay, or around Back O Wall?

A: On the east, on the east side, we were on Winward Road, actually. That's where Dougie lived, he had a house there. Dennis (Moss) and his brothers, Dennis is from Ethiopia, the guy that was with the Rhythm Aces, and his bigger brother he had - he's a piano player, so his piano was at Dougie's house. So that's how all of that ties in, I met Dougie and listened to what they had to say about Rasta-ism, and so on. So that was rooted. They had an early age, somewhat.

Q: What about the Rasta influence on BB and Maurice? Were they getting into this as well at the same time?

A: No. No, not really. Like, BB just coming out of college. Maurice had an accident of some sort, and he fell off a bike, it disfigures a part of his face out. But he survived all that, y'know. But other than that, no. They wasn't into the Rasta-ism, y'know.

Q: At least among the producers, and perhaps the public too, Rasta sentiments wasn't widely accepted, but were all this something that you wanted to express in the lyrics at the time, but couldn't?

A: Yeah, then I was in a developing stage of my life, y'know. But it's like I wouldn't even think in expressing that part of it, even though it comes naturally, like in 'Joy In The Morning'. You ever hear that song?

Q: Yeah, superb song it is too. Classic.

A: Yeah, yeah. It just comes and expresses, goes back into what I feel, learn, hear. You know? I didn't express outwardly toward OK, 'this is Rasta about'. Within, it has an expression on what I am thinking about. But then I usually write songs, it's like more than one to mention (laughs)! You could reflect from the same sound, y'know.

Q: Perhaps not the right word for it, but your message pertaining to Rasta is kinda hidden within some of those songs then, sort of camouflaged. You had to, in those days.

A: Yeah, yeah! But it's not directly rooted as that, but it comes from that. Certain songs, y'know. Then I heard sometime later on someone was mentioning - joining me once, that someone sang 'Jah Bring I Joy (In The Morning)'.

Q: You mean Bobby Melody? He had a hit with that in the mid seventies, for Joe Gibbs (issued on Trojan in the UK).

A: Yeah, he sang it over. But then, I wouldn't have expressed it like that. I did it (laughs) my way, y'know.

Q: How did you react when you heard that version?

A: Yeah, it bring a joy for me to know that somebody get that inspiration from it, y'know. It's a good feeling, someone express the thing that I didn't.

Q: Or couldn't do at that time, at least not to be so direct.

A: No, to be so direct, yeah, that's it. It's just that (laughs) I went around it somewhat.

Q: Why migrate to the US at the height of your popularity? What was the reason why you left at that point? By the way, did you do any solo performances in Jamaica, after leaving the Gaylads (where BB continued for a few years with Maurice and Ricardo 'Ricky' Grant as The Gaylads, then left to pursue a successful solo career and Maurice reformed with the Thaxter brothers, once singing as Righteous Foundation in the mid seventies for Jack Ruby, then switching back to the Gaylads, then The Psalms, and so on)?

A: No, somehow I didn't work in live performance, it was only for recording I did that. But when I came here I did one show, that was with the Diamonds. The Diamonds was in New York at the time and I did that show at the Hunter's College, and some other places.

Q: Recognition locally was from being played on the sound, and through airplay. What was that like, if you did, to walk into a dance locally and hear 'That's Life' blasting out loud from the speakers, circa '68?

A: It was quite a popular song but I didn't travel much, more than from point A to point B (laughs)! So other than people are telling me about the sound, but on the radio I hear it so I'd listen to the radio. By this time I was getting very reluctant of the whole business. I couldn't grasp my hands on to 'how is it about...?', y'know. And there's nobody to lecture you as you'd like say, well, give you a run down. Through one guy, he became the Prime Minister in Jamaica and he was a thief of the whole thing, took all the money (laughs), y'know what I mean. Yeah, he introduced us to the Performing Rights at first, and I didn't see any of that money. I mean, if everybody came and dipped their hand in that thing, only a few guys like Prince Buster, and so on, would get something together at the start of this thing, then it started to get... We ban that whole thing, and we reject it because 'what am I doing this for?' You know? People bowed. Even though BB was like he would see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I can't see that light (laughs)! You know what I mean? So, it's a frustration. And, I mean, we talk about it, when I was with the Gaylads we do x amount of recordings but don't get that money from Downbeat, then... we could do our own production. We talked about it and then people go on doing different things, that's what's causing the break-up and all this of the group, and all that. Through, we talk about one thing and you do another. So, these was some of the things that contribute to the breaking up of the group, and the frustration overall. It break you down (laughs), y'know what I mean? So when I came here (to America) I had a breakdown, a nervous breakdown. And it all attribute to whatever was going on in my head, what I had been through. But, y'know, like I tell my younger son now how glad I am I survived all that, and the thing is like I could reflect and look at it in a different light, not getting angry and so on but say, well, OK, I'm a survivor - whatever it is, y'know (laughs)! And so I just go on and taking it a day at a time.

Q: I guess the thing about the early days of the music was the total joy of the music itself that was made, the recognition you got, but not many realised the reality of, say, all the pressure that comes from doing all the hard work with recording and performing regularly, and not even getting the right rewards or benefits from it. I suppose it all caught up with you when coming to the States when you got that breakdown?

A: I guess that's what it is, yes. And then, the other day somebody (laughs) did over 'Stay A Little Bit Longer', and BB let me know say, well, something is happening with this song, and he's gonna take care of it but I gotta give him the fee if I want this to be done, y'know. OK, and I say well, bwoy, Mrs Pottinger she's trying to get the whole thing on her behalf (laughs)! It's nothing much but she wanted to get...

Q: The royalties.

A: Yeah! For herself, and I'm saying in this situation she doesn't have a heart (laughs)! She want to get it all.

Q: Still she didn't contribute one word or one note to that song.

A: No. Nothing, she didn't do nothing. And she wanted it, she would be telling me... I mean, it's hard -business.

Q: Did you receive any money for it?

A: Yeah, yeah. Through BB I got some, not much or nothin', but I got some pay.

Q: So what caused this move to the States, what was the specific reason? Was this business-related, or you had the rest of the family up there? You wanted a fresh start in life, try something new. New air, new impressions.

A: Yeah, I was frustrated with all that was happening. I just wanted a new surrounding, y'know. I was very, very frustrated and it was really from a viewpoint down to... everything is like it's coming in and for a young man like me coming up, it take me right down. They have the soundtrack to entrap a young man, a young mind and a young man just coming up (laughs) - you gotta be strong! And access to work is limited, it's just hard labour. So, I mean, the best thing is to get out, and I did. Through a friend, y'know, I went to the emigration, and they turned me down. And somebody mentioned that I shouldn't have to wait, and it worked.

Q: And this was in 1969?

A: '69.

Q: So what did you start working with?

A: When I came here I worked in construction. I learned a trade and even then (coughs)... I go through the steam again (laughs), thru I've been in the steamfitter union for over thirty years.

Q: Steam-fitting? Sorry, not my area (laughs)!

A: Yeah, that's like air-conditioning. But in my thirty years I don't accomplish ten years with no steady work. I have like seven and a half years, and they say I have to have ten years to get any - whatever it is, before it have to be mature, it got to be ten years. You know, this union is... so I just don't contribute, I'm not working in the steam-fitting anymore, I lost out on the steam-fitting. I can't get no pension or anything, y'know.

Q: Where did you settle in New York?

A: I was in the Bronx, I've always been in the Bronx. But through I went to the radio stations I met certain radio personell, who I did shows on, but they were reluctant to play the music. Even though they were the ones buying the time and I don't know if they were buying the time then, but they're reluctant to play...

Q: Reggae in general, or just your stuff?

A: Yeah.

Q: But there wasn't much reggae on the air at that time, if we go back thirty years ago? Limited space on the airwaves.

A: Gil Bailey was on the link, had airtime in the wee morning, there was...

Q: Ken Williams?

A: Yeah, he plays it, but he break it down somewhat. He plays it mainly, what's his name...? Jeff Barnes. He was like tidbit (?) to play the music, he was at I think WWRL. It's like 'bwoooy, is my job to do this or no-one else would' (laughs)! So, is like if you would've gotten some plays then you would have felt it a little bit more, y'know. But I didn't, through I was doing it on one on one and I tried to tap on all the bases, but it wasn't working.

Q: Did you link with anyone you knew from the music business down in Jamaica, when you reached New York? I'm sure you had a few up there already.

A: Oh, yeah, well not from Jamaica but I met - even though he's deceased now - Brad. Brad now, he...

Q: Brad Osbourne, the Clocktower label?

A: Yeah, he tried to talk me into... Oh gosh, he was one of the man there who always want me to record, he tried to talk me into it every time he see me. But, he give me rhythms, I still have them rhythms (laughs) somewhere. He give me a whole lot of rhythms, I just didn't try anything (chuckles). And then he tell me how he send guys to tell me, I mean he tried to. Oh, he tried to talk me into it! But I just didn't have the... I don't know what it is, but it just didn't fit. But he tried, tried to get me (coughs)... into coming. But I wasn't doing any work, the money wasn't there, y'know.

Q: Any sound systems about in New York at that time, early seventies? Brad had a sound?

A: Yeah, Friday nights. No, Brad didn't have a sound system. But Fridays guys would play their music in basements.

Q: Right, like a blues dance.

A: Yeah. But like I said I'm not the one that go into them places (laughs)! No, but friends, y'know, every so often them keep the dance and I drop by. But there's always that atmosphere with most of them dance, so I just don't go, more than go so much.

Q: When did you record 'Spinning Wheel'? What studio was used and what was the session people, who played on it?

A: Oh, well, that recorded in the mid seventies. Somewhere in Brooklyn, I've forgotten the studio name.

Q: It wasn't with Wackies, Lloyd Barnes?

A: No, no. I never record with... if I do record in Wackies' studio it would have been that I played an instrument as such, y'know, for somebody. Yeah.

Q: But he (Wackies) was in the Bronx too.

A: Yeah, he was just... right, right! He was in the Bronx, he's still here. There's some other guys that he hit with, they had a hit not too long ago around here, in the Bronx. But this man is a caucasian in Brooklyn, he had a studio. But one of the keyboard players was one that plays with Bob (Marley).

Q: Glen Adams?

A: No, not Glen Adams.

Q: Tyrone? Tyrone Downie, or 'Wire'? Earl 'Wya' Lindo?

A: I think (coughs)... that's the name, Wya. Yeah, he played that on 'Spinning Wheel'. And then there was this guy - there was a band here in the seventies, the Reckless Breed, it was then one of the... first time I've seen a band fall off so fast (laughs)... after the seventies, after that era, y'know. Just the bass player I use, and the drummer - he's the one who introduced Wya to me, but I can't remember the drummer name yet. It was a young drummer from Queens. Yeah, I think that's the guy, he's from there. And the guy that plays guitar, I can't recall... But that's how we make it, recording the 'Spinning Wheel'.

Q: And it came out on... which label was it?

A: Timbrell. Yeah, that's my label that I had.

Q: It became like a local hit at the time?

A: Yeah, yeah. I made like ten thousand copies of it, but then I didn't won a one-on-one with it, y'know, within that short time. I tried to turn it over to the next recording, but it didn't work (laughs), the next recording. It was 'Heart of Stone'. The beat, it didn't have a dancehall beat. Everything was going well still over here, but... that's how it went. I didn't do no money. I did some more recordings some time after, in Jamaica.

Q: Oh, you went back to Jamaica? Recorded for someone else, or for yourself?

A: Yeah, for myself. For myself, I tried to put an album together. I came back here and put the tape on and play it back, but there was too many errors. Yet, if I wasn't that much of a perfectionist I would without a doubt (laughs) put this one out! Maybe I would've made some money, if I had worked on the other one, but I didn't. I just sit on the whole album, and it's sitting there still (laughs)!

Q: So there's actually a full album completed, you laid tracks in Jamaica and voiced them later in New York? Who did you use in Jamaica for that project, where was it recorded?

A: Right. I worked at Studio One and then I worked at Channel One.

Q: Who played on it, if you can recall?

A: There's so many different guys. At the time I was there at Channel One I didn't know (laughs)!

Q: Sly, Robbie and the rest of the Revolutionaries, or perhaps the Soul Syndicate band?

A: A whole lot of guys was there, I don't recall who was there (laughs)! But then I made like twenty tracks, and when I came upon listening to them it was a whole lot of errors. Bad note, the basics, y'know.

Q: And the mixing?

A: It could've mixed... then I went and I mix at Aquarius, I make one mix there. I make several mix here and it didn't come up to park. I put out one on the recordings I did. A friend of mine he told me he wanted to record, a song called 'Condition' (laughs), but he's not really a singer as such, y'know.

Q: 'Condition', that was the title?

A: Yeah, my buddy his name was 'David Roots' or something like that he called himself (chuckles). And then I put one out with myself, a 45 I think it was, but it definitely didn't take off, y'know.

Q: But twenty tracks, you voiced them in New York later on?

A: Some of them, a few of them I voiced. But I went over to Coxson's studio over here, BB was here for a little while. So then Coxson's son he was kinda cleaning up the tape for me. A lot of the stuff you know it kinda break down his machine and all that (laughs)! Well, then I was back to Jamaica (coughs)... and I think I took the tape back. I hadn't even been there for a long time, from in the nineties. Brooklyn, y'know, it's such a long ride, man. As I said that it's too much of a long ride to go back and forth all the time, and that's the wee hours of the morning, y'know, when I'm coming home, so I guess I just phase out of the whole of it. But I do have my tapes somewhere still. And my kids, like I said they're not interested in music, so they just didn't hear it.

Q: Such a pity when you had so much recordings... I mean that the album didn't come to the final stage. Ten or twelve of these could've been on it, if you had them voiced?

A: Yeah. But like I said, well, I was too much of a perfectionist. There's some of them that I could've put out. I know that one I chose to put out didn't hit it off, y'know. I guess that's where when you have a - when you introduce music to the public, what do you call it... a party?

Q: The release party, like launching the record?

A: Yeah, yeah. To get the reaction, yeah.

Q: When was it recorded? Like shortly after 'Spinning Wheel', in '77, or thereabouts?

A: No, after this, it's going into the eighties, it's '79/80, yeah. That's when it was done.

Q: Then you didn't do much with the music after that, you had a taxi business instead.

A: No. Right.

Q: How did you react to the rockers versions to some of your songs, hearing interpretations like Johnny Clarke's 'Let's Have Some Fun', 'Stay A Little Bit Longer' by Linval Thompson and 'That's Life' by Ronnie Davis for example? I'm pretty sure you didn't get any compensation for them?

A: Yeah, right. You know, I wasn't even aware of that. BB has sent me some, he take up some of the money but he got sick now and it's just one of them things that always happen, y'know.

Q: Bunny Lee was responsible for most of those recuts. I get the feeling he regretted not recording you at that time when you worked for Mrs Pottinger, so he revived his favourites in this way instead.

A: Yeah (laughs)! That's how it goes, y'know, people just take advantage. That's how it is, man.

Q: But you never heard these versions, you said?

A: No, no. I still don't hear it. I don't really hear no - the only version I hear is by Johnny Clarke. I hear some of the songs he's done, my songs.

Q: 'Let's Have Some Fun', yeah. Nice cut. He did 'Rock With Me Baby' as well.

A: Other than that the only one I heard is the one that BB got me the royalties for...

Q: UB40, right?

A: Yeah, other than that I don't know what's in the game, if I don't hear (it).

Q: I saw that Coxson had a few 12"-singles out in the early nineties when you linked with BB again. One with you and him titled 'The Woman In You', and some 12" by yourself on Studio One like 'Feel Like I Am Falling' and 'Wicked Intention'. When were these cut, how did it come about?

A: I didn't know that released (laughs)! When we did it in the nineties, me myself and BB, and BB didn't even mention due to...

Q: Where were they done? In New York, his Brooklyn studio?

A: In Brooklyn.

Q: OK, at Coxson's New York studio. Was it over vintage rhythms, or digital stuff?

A: No, it was original rhythms, it's from drum machines, yeah. But Glen Adams plays keyboards also. It's always opposed to (laughs)... BB knows about this and though we worked these and he (Coxson) didn't push it, nutten happened there, so I just leave it at that.

Q: Are you aware of the UK release on CD of the 'Stay A Little Bit Longer' album? It came out about 2001 on the Westside label in England.

A: No, I didn't... You mean that I recorded, right?

Q: I mean the CD reissue of the original High Note album, it was released in England on CD a couple of years ago, with some additional tracks by Roland Alphonso, Big Youth, Patsy Todd and Aubrey Adams.

A: No... yeah? No, I didn't even know of it!

Q: Are you sure? It's been out a while by now.

A: Yeah, the only one I know of is the group from England. I told my son to bring me back that album on the CD, but (laughs) he don't bring it yet. What's the name of that group - UB40, right?

Q: UB40, yes.

A: Yeah, that's the only thing I know of.

Q: This one is retitled 'Stay A Little Bit Longer... And A Little Bit Longer Still' with some instrumentals added by Roland Alphonso & The Gaysetters, one duet with Patsy Todd and even Big Youth's version to 'That's Life'.

A: Who produced that album?

Q: It's a company called Westside, owned by the Demon Music Group. I believe Elvis Costello has a finger in that. But Westside's now deceased I think, it was very short-lived. BB is in the liner notes for it, he gave some info about your career. Didn't you know anything of this release?

A: No, no (laughs)! I didn't!

Q: Let me tell you the running order, one moment... The tracks is 'Stay A Little Bit Longer' and it's instrumental by Lyn Taitt & The Jets, 'Dance With Me', 'Hallelujah' - also known as 'The Riddle', 'Don't Believe In Him' and the instrumental to that one, they included your 'Joy In The Morning' classic for Mrs Pottinger by the Gaylads as well, 'Got To Come Back', 'Rocking Sensation', 'Let's Have Some Fun', 'Tell Me Baby' and the instrumental known as 'One Look' or 'Wild and Free' by Roland Alphonso on sax with the Gaysetters band, 'Wish It Could Last', 'Give Me A Chance' by Patsy Todd with yourself doing harmony,'Wherever I Lay My Hat' - the Marvin Gaye song, 'That's Life' and the 'Facts of Life' version from the early seventies by Big Youth, plus Aubrey Adams' organ workout on it, with the Gaysetters group. That's the package.

A: Yeah, the same album. That was produced by Mrs Pottinger, maybe she's the one who allowed it? Like I said even then I still didn't get one of the albums and she had a whole room of album covers...

Q: I believe this is a different release, I doubt Mrs Pottinger has been involved in this at all. It's on the Westside/Demon label but I think they went down some time ago, the Westside subsidiary. Trojan is linked to it though.

A: No, I didn't know. But she did a whole lot of things that went by me (laughs)! In the eighties and nineties.

Q: So this means that there was no compensation for this lifetime achievement - once again? Typical.

A: I don't think so, through the royalty wasn't coming for a while until BB introduced me back into the Performing Rights, after the UB40. But then they were sending me money, but it wasn't much or nothin'. Just a few pounds here and there.

Q: You were a part of the Studio One anniversary back in '91 with the Gaylads, in Kingston?

A: Yeah, we did, we did.

Q: That was at the National Arena.

A: Yeah, and we went down to MoBay and all that.

Q: Who backed you up on that concert?

A: BB would be more familiar with the musicians, I forget if it was We The People.

Q: Lloyd Parks, yeah.

A: Yeah, I think it was We The People. But through BB was in the seventies, he's more a part of the mainstream in Jamaica, so he would know most of the musicians (laughs)! More familiar with it.

Q: But while you were down there for the celebrations, you did a Gaylads reunion album, right?

A: Yeah, me and BB we did some works for Coxson, that would be the songs you mentioned earlier. That's the work we did for Downbeat, that we were doing during that time. Then he said that Mr Dodd wouldn't release the album or something like that. But they released in some place, right?

Q: Yeah, some of the songs was out on 12" (another one-off number entitled 'Eternal Love' showed up on a Lloyd Campbell label, Joe Frasier, some years back).

A: I'm unaware of it. Like I say I haven't since that time been to the studio, or spoken to Mr Dodd. And if I did, he wouldn't mention anything (laughs) of the works that I did!

Q: But something drastically happened when you were ready to go to Japan in '97, didn't it?

A: Yeah, then I got a stroke. I got a stroke, and we would be leaving on the Wednesday and on the Monday evening I got a stroke. Then it pushed me further away from all of that, y'know what I mean. Especially like travelling and all of that, y'know. I don't want to be a part of it.

Q: But you have recovered from it pretty well as far as I understood, after going through some rehabilitation.

A: Right, with my medication it's working.

Q: What are you able to and not able to do these days?

A: Just about anything I wish to do. But I gotta take my medication.

Q: Of course.

A: I think that's contributed, through I stop taking my medication for over a year.

Q: So you were on medication before the stroke, had a weak heart long before this.

A: Yeah, yeah. I was diagnosed to take this medication for my pressure is high and what I've done had contributed, but I stopped taking the medication.

Q: Right. So you had high blood pressure previous to this then? Make sure you take that stuff now, you hear me (chuckles)!

A: Yeah, and then it just come and hit me with a bang, y'know. It's like - wow! Could've been dead, so every day is a blessing (laughs)! I'm taking one day at a time.

Q: If you would summarize your career and what you've experienced within the music business, what would you reflect upon? After all the trouble that all the artists have to go through, it's just the business when all is said and done, it's something you all had to go through. And you have made some of the most timeless and enjoyable compositions ever in Jamaican music, with the Gaylads and by yourself, even more so by yourself I should say. Evergreens.

A: Well, I would say that my contribution is still there, it will be there, but it's that... it is kinda lukewarm. You know, you go into something and it's (laughs)...

Q: Bittersweet?

A: Yeah (laughs)! Yeah, the nice thing about it is just that OK, how you deal with it when it started, it was good. And when it goes on there's a lotta trippery, fuckery and selfishness. It leave a bitter taste, yeah, of the whole thing. But it's a learning, I see it as a learning, it's just a everyday way of life and it's a learning, y'know. And like I said I was kinda reluctant going into it, so... So, maybe if I had a different attitude (laughs) I reflect maybe things would've been better, so it's just a learning point. All I can do is take it as a way of life and hopefully as I say to my kids: it's better to go a hundred and ten percent, than none at all. In whatever you do, y'know what I mean?

Q: Sure. So what are you doing these days when not being actively in the music, you work at the hospital, right?

A: Yeah, yeah. I drive for the hospital on a part-time basis. I am only able to work part time (laughs), and so I have to get myself comfortable with what I get and make it work, y'know. I take a day at a time. That's how it works, through I get whatever one does and it comes out to OK, you are a thirty percent contribution (laughs), that's what it comes down to. You gotta be satisfied with what you get, y'know what I mean (laughs)! So that's how it is, I just gotta be satisfied.

Q: But I think you can be assured of the fact that you still have one of the most respected names in the music, you and the Gaylads have a lot of admiration and appreciation for all the great works that you did back then - I mean if anything your catalogue speaks for itself, both solo and with the group, there's no question about that.

A: Yeah, I appreciate that.

Q: One of the best voices I've ever heard in the music, it's just a pity that it got cut off short by this, but such is life I guess.

A: Yeah, I appreciate it, Peter. I hope I can get a copy, so... I will make sure to check it, y'know. It's been a pleasure.

Q: Definitely a pleasure, and an honour for me - you are one of the most soulful of the Jamaican voices, so thank you.

A: Yeah, it's good talking (laughs)! Hey, I hope it bring some spark with somebodys reflections... I hope something good comes in the light of this conversation, y'know.

Q: That's the intention, it's about time your work come in the spotlight once again.

A: And even though I tried to, I hope I did make a good interview of the whole thing?

Q: You did and I'm very grateful for it, I'm sure your longtime fans are too.

A: Yeah, Peter, it was nice talking...

It warms the heart in getting into conversation with some people because of their humble and good-hearted nature, and Delano's definitely one of them. And here's a man who is ridiculously overlooked for his contributions to the music, it's about time the Jamaican music industry wake up and honours those who truly deserves to be honoured, Delano Stewart's one of those names. He's on that list of endless talents this island has produced over the years, The Gaylads as one of the most influential entities of Jamaican music is another. Both deserves what they should've received years ago if everything was right, but it seldom is. Maybe it would be too much to hope for but wonders never cease as they say...

When trying to write this summary of Delano I found it rather difficult. When you learn of the evil that existed and obviously still exists (and always will) within the business, regardless how many times you've read or heard pretty much the same thing about what happened to some individuals along the way - trusting it is based on facts and nothing else - it always tends to be more emotional than you'd prefer if you choose to take side for whoever it may be, and to write something like this while being upset for someone else turns out to be, in the end, a bit pathetic for the viewer. I've seen these kind of writings myself over the years - the 'in-defence-of' type - and I didn't want to join that club, it's easier to fail in pure embarrassment than succeed somehow. Still, I have to say this, and it's my two-pennies-worth: Delano is not one of few who has met with pure rip-off's and misdealings, he's one of many. This has become and is in fact the very nature of Jamaican music business; it is a pool full of sharks ready to take a bite if you don't watch out. I guess you can't make that change down there, the business is more often than not ruthless on its performers, but elsewhere in the light of a more organised side of the business, it is a disgrace to see one of reggae's best albums ever being put out in Europe in the year 2000 (or 2001 to be exact) and not even compensating its author for what it's worth. Those who did should be ashamed of themselves and nothing else! Probably that never crossed their minds and it never will because 'moral' is a joke in these circles, it is common practice and moral consideration couldn't be farther in this case. What is conscience when you've got dunza (money) to think of? Anyhow, unscrupolous folly-mindedness aside, I have to say it is kind of a double-edged sword. Another part of me have to congratulate the crew behind it; they did a very fine job in restoring the sound of this classic record to what it is; a great stylist at the peak of his powers, extending the original line-up of tracks with contributions by the late Aubrey Adams, Patsy Todd and the Big Youth toast to 'That's Life' as mentioned in this interview - undoubtedly a great release, thorough liner-notes, and a feast of top class entertainment throughout, even if I personally could have been without the Todd vocal... Listening to a track like 'The Riddle' makes me wonder what you need modern dance music for - disco, techno, house or whatever it is - when a song like this simply whips up a storm! A later tune like the sublime 'Heart of Stone' shows he hadn't lost an inch of his ability, it's full of soul and showing great potential at a later stage in life. Shelly issued 'Spinning Wheel' on his Third World imprint in the UK around the same time and that's another 'shot at the hip', unquestionably reggae music at its best.

You might've met the dark and gloomy times in your all too short career, Delano, but bear in mind that this music goes way beyond that, it is music that has and certainly will stand the test of time in many, many years to come. May the Almighty forces continue to give you that joy in the morning you once sang of for as long as your heart are willing to. Remember that you sang 'Wish It Could Last (Forever)' back in the days? At least regarding your music, I predict it will last for as long as the music keeps on pumping out of the Jamaican borders. Your music will survive you, that you can be sure of, because people always find their way to where the treasures are. Your treasure will be there for generations to cherish, the treasure which spells Winston Delano Stewart. Respect.

7" single information courtesy Roots Knotty Roots.