Tuff Gong International is launching its “Masters Vault” series with the release of an album by popular reggae crooner Tyrone Taylor. Originally recorded and released in 1994 the album entitled Totally Tyrone has been remastered and is available today at all DSP outlets and on CD.
Taylor is known and loved by reggae music fans for being one of the most soulful singers of his generation, a major accolade considering that era boasts iconic reggae talents Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs,and “Totally Tyrone” represents some of his best work.
The album was executive produced by Cedella Marley who signed Tyrone Taylor to a three- album deal soon after becoming CEO of Tuff Gong in 1993. “Running a record company while also being a performer gave me a certain perspective about the kind of artists that I wanted to work with. Tyrone had already had a following from the days of his classic hit “Cottage In Negril” and I believed with the right team he could take his music and career to another level.” Serving as executive producer, Marley brought in Clive Hunt to produce the album.
In sync with Tyrone and Cedella’s thoughts on the album Hunt pulled together a team of musicians, songwriters, and backing vocalists that reads like a who’s who of Jamaican music- Sly & Robbie, Cat Coore, Wayne Armond, Pam Hall, Dean Fraser, Handel Tucker and engineered by Errol Brown. Taylor himself penned the album’s lead single, a follow-up to his 80’s smash “Cottage in Negril”. In the song Negril once again served as the setting for romance, and “Rainy Sunset” reached No.1 for 2 weeks on the New York/WNWK Top 20 Reggae chart in October of 1994. There were also passionate renditions of Bob Marley’s “Concrete Jungle” and “Talking Blues”. Everyone involved thought this could finally be Tyrone’s breakout album.
- Clive Hunt
The making of the album was not trouble-free, though. Taylor’s talents were greatly hindered by a chronic substance abuse problem that often interfered with what should have been a stellar career. At one point recording was suspended in order for Tyrone to enter rehab. The week “Totally Tyrone” was released the singer relapsed and went missing for a period of time that hampered the promotional efforts for the album. Tyrone Taylor succumbed to prostate cancer in December 2007.
“Totally Tyrone” is the first in a series of albums from the vast Tuff Gong catalog of master tapes. Tuff Gong- Masters Vault will feature remastered recordings that have never before been available digitally. In August three more titles from this series are set to be released.
For more information visit www.tuffgong.com
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