BY KEVIN JACKSON
Observer writer—
Veteran singer Barrington Strange has been enjoying a career resurgence with his latest single Together Forever. The song, co-produced by the singer and Andrew Sinclair of Small Axe Creations, is on the Strange Records imprint. It recently spent two weeks at number one on the Foundation Radio Network (New York) Reggae chart. He spoke about the inspiration behind Together Forever.
“I try to write songs that people can relate to. But after I wrote Together Forever, I realized subconsciously this situation in a dance with a girl and her telling her friends gwan and leave me alone had happened to me. At the same time, people who are together have a story about how they met,” Strange told Splash.
Strange has been singing and performing most of his life. He recorded several songs for producer Lee “Scratch” Perry in the 1980’s, but they were never released.
“I have been playing nightclubs, writing and recording songs all these years, while pursuing other career interests,” said Strange.
Best known for the hit Really Love You, Strange is from Washington Gardens in Kingston. He has resided in Florida for more than 20 years.
“I’ve always tried to do things on my own, but at one point I did songs for producers in the United States after relocating from Jamaica,” he said.
He made his recording debut in 1982 with Don’t Blame It on Natty Dread. The song later ended up on a dub plate for producers Kensil Bruff and Steve Echo.
Although missing from the music scene for several years, he returned a few years ago with songs including Dem a Run Come.
“It was the love for the music that brought me back into the game,” he said.
Strange, like many of his contemporaries in the 1970’s and 1980’s, started out by honing his craft on sound systems, including Fire Ball from the Penwood Road area, Echo International, and Saba Hi Fi.
Strange says he has enough songs to put out an album.
“I have enough songs for an album, but because of the digital download age, I don’t think that releasing an album is necessary any more.”
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