Saturday, January 10, 2009

Winston Groovy

Jamaican-born reggae singer Winston Groovy has been recording songs since he moved to London in 1969, with releases on the Trojan and Pama labels among others. Although he has had hits under his own name, his best known song is probably Don't Make me Cry - a worldwide hit when covered by UB40 in 1983.

According to this interview, when he first moved to London he 'settled in Lewisham, "near the hospital", where he met up with Laurel Aitken, who promptly took him to the studio where they recorded ' Island In The Sun'... These were very busy times for Winston as hit record followed hit record and a live show was not a proper live show unless Winston Groovy appeared on the bill. But "just to keep going!" he still had to work regularly in Trojan's Muzik City record shop in Lewisham and Pama's record shop on Peckham Rye'.

I believe he still lives in South London, and according to Mel Wright's Rock Around Lewisham (published in 1990), he was at one time living in Brockley's Shardeloes Road.

Anyone got information about the Trojan and Pama shops mentioned here?

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