Lynford Manning, a founding member of roots-reggae giants The Abyssinians, died on June 25 in Miramar, Florida. The Jamaican singer was in his late 70s.
Manning, along with his older brother Donald and lead singer Bernard Collins, formed the group in Jones Town, Kingston in 1968. They are best known for Satta Massagana, the seminal 1971 song regarded by many as reggae’s official anthem.
Donald, Lynford and older brother, Carlton, was a member of Carlton and The Shoes which had a big hit song that year with Love me Forever at Studio One.
Satta Massagana was actually recorded in 1969 at Studio One, with Leroy Sibbles playing bass and Fil Callender on drums. It was not released until two years later on the group’s Clinch label.
The mystic track made The Abyssinians a sensation among Jamaica’s growing Rasta movement. They followed-up with songs such as Declaration of Rights, Y Mas Gan and Forward on To Zion.
Donald Manning and Collins continued to tour as The Abyssinians during the 1980s and 1990s, but Lynford became a Christian and gave up secular music. He was an active member of his church in South Florida, where he lived for over 30 years.
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