BY HOWARD CAMPBELL–
Observer senior writer—
Nadine Sutherland—
Since the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States in 2016, the immigrant experience in that country has transformed drastically — from his call for a ban on Muslims to barring would-be migrants from Latin America at the Mexican border.
Recently, Nadine Sutherland dusted off a song she recorded over 20 years to reinforce the immigrant story from a Jamaican’s standpoint. That song is Ain’t No Sunshine, a cover of the 1971 Bill Withers soul standard, which was intended to be part of her album for East West Records.
Produced by American Salaam Remi, it got lost in the shuffle when East West’s parent company, Elektra Records, decided to cut its reggae roster in the late 1990’s.
“Last year, Salaam and I reconnected for the [Red Bull] Sound Clash in Kingston [last November] where his Do It For The Culture Group won. We were speaking about the nightmare at the border, [and] I mentioned that Ain’t No Sunshine is an appropriate song to be released at this time,” Sutherland told the Jamaica Observer. “In general, I felt that being an immigrant with ICE and all is somewhat scary. He decided that Ain’t No Sunshine will be released [as] the immigrant realities is a universal story that extends beyond Jamaica.”
Sutherland added that Remi’s production on Ain’t No Sunshine still holds up, and the song “has taken on more power”.
Remi is one of contemporary music’s most successful producers. One of his breakthrough projects was The Score, the mega-selling 1996 album by The Fugees; he has also produced albums by Amy Winehouse [Back to Black], and also directed Ini Kamoze’s massive 1994 hit song, Here Comes The Hotstepper.
In 1993 Sutherland and Terror Fabulous had a big hit for the company with Action.
For Sutherland, covering Ain’t No Sunshine was a pleasure.
“I love the original, it’s a classic,” she said.
You must log in to post a comment.