The loss of both these creative forces is yet another terrible blow to the world of music and beyond.
Sugar, who will of course be best remembered among non-Reggae fans for his hit version of ‘Good Thing Going’ was one of the most original artists on the Jamaican music scene throughout the seventies and eighties, having first made his name recording a number of superior singles with Tony Tuff and Derrick Howard in the African Brothers before recording significant hits for Coxson Dodd, the most notable being the hugely popular ‘Oh Mr D.C.’
A series of major successes followed in the early eighties, recording in a variety of styles, from Lovers to hard-hitting Roots, while around this time he also launched his own Black Roots and Youth Promotion labels, the latter also providing the title for his sound system.
In 1981, ‘Good Thing Going’ made the UK top 5, leading to a relatively successful spell in Britain. His return to Jamaica a few years later quickly resulted in more sizable Dancehall hits and numerous albums. The dawn of the Digital age of Ragga did nothing to dent his popularity as both an artist and producer, using his labels and Sound to promote the work of other local acts, including the likes of Junior Reid, Barry Brown and Tenor Saw.
But by the close of the eighties, the successes were becoming few and far between, although over the years that followed he continued to record and tour, experimenting with new styles with varying degrees of success.
Earlier this year he cancelled a number of Canadian shows due to chest pains, but had resumed work soon after and had planned to perform in California only last week.
He passed away on July 10th aged just 54.
CLAUDIUS LINTON
Less widely known , Claudius ‘Kingman’ Linton, first recorded with singer, Cecil Hemmings as the Angelic Brothers in the mid-sixties, after being auditioned by Derrick Morgan for producer, Justin Yap. The following decade the duo assumed the title of the Hoffner Brothers, their 1972 song ‘King Man Is Back’ reaching the finals of the national Festival song competition. The duo subsequently cut a number of other 45s before eventually going their separate ways, with Claudius going on to enjoy success with the hit singles, ‘Crying Time’, ‘Put Your Shoulder To Jah Wheel’ and ‘Backra Massa’ in the mid-seventies, and while a number of fine Roots outings failed to being further sizable hits, his work remained of the highest standard.
In the eighties, he recorded a number of songs for Jack Ruby‘, including Chun ’Pon Nanny‘ and ‘Reduce the Arms Race,’ released in 1984, but by this time he had become disillusioned with the industry and it was not until 2007 with the release of the a hits collection entitled ‘Roots Master’ that he finally returned to the studio, cutting a new collection of songs, ‘Sign Time’, that saw release on the Sun King Records label the following year.
By this time it had been reported he had been living homeless in Long Beach, California, which had no doubt been a significant contributory factor in his tragic passing.
Compliments Trojan Records
