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CLINTON LINDSAY » Entries tagged with "Winston Blake"

ENTERTAINERS TO PAY TRIBUTE TO WINSTON “MERRITONE” BLAKE IN KINGSTON!

 Winston ‘Merritone’ Blake—  A number of entertainers will pay tribute to Winston ‘Merritone’ Blake at Jacob’s Place in Kings Plaza, St Andrew, tomorrow. Blake, a musicologist and ‘elder’ of the sound system movement, died on February 27 at the University Hospital of the West Indies. He was 75. “It’s going to be an open-mike affair for anyone who would like to make a musical contribution to Winston Blake,” Mike Whitelock, operator of Jacob’s Place Lounge and Restaurant, told the Jamaica Observer. Among the performers will be singer Mikey ‘Silky’ Schloss, Blake’s brother-in-law. He is the brother of Blake’s wife Cynthia Schloss who died in 1999. Blake and his brothers Trevor, Tyrone and Monty, operated the Merritone sound system for 60 years.Their father Val, started the ‘sound’ in their native St Thomas in 1950. — By Basil … Read entire article »

Filed under: BREAKING NEWS, GUEST RUNDOWNS

THIS YEAR’S “MERRITONE FAMILY FUN DAY U.S.A” IS CANCELED, WHILE THE JAMAICAN LEG IS ON OCTOBER 13-20!

  Winston ‘Merritone’ Blake (right) with fellow selector Craig Ross— THIS year’s staging of the US leg of the annual Merritone Family Fun Day is off. The Jamaican leg, however, is set for Kingston, Portland, and St Ann, from October 13 to 20. Event organiser Conroy Allison told the Jamaica Observer it was not an easy decision. “A great deal of careful, and at times, agonising thought went into whether or not to produce our event this year,” he said. Last year’s ‘Sweet Sixteen’ staging featured acts including Hopeton Lewis and Althea Hewitt. “We’ve staged the Family Fun Day for 16 consecutive years with much success. But recent issues with our venue [Lake Quassy] remain unresolved. This could compromise the quality of our product. Our biggest commitment is to the thousands of loyal friends and supporters who … Read entire article »

Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS

BUNNY GOODISON’S SOUL SHACK SOUND SYSTEM TURNS 50!

 By Howard Campbell— Bunny Goodison poses beside the original turntable of his sound system Soul Shack—- A VINTAGE stereo stands out among the numerous plaques and photographs that line the walls of the entertainment area at musicologist Vaughn ‘Bunny’ Goodison’s St Andrew home. The aged turntable is no simple memento. Along with four 12-inch speaker boxes, it marked the debut of Goodison’s sound system, Soul Shack, at Emmet Park in the summer of 1964. The venue, located at Goodison’s alma mater St George’s College in central Kingston, was appropriate. He reckons about 800 patrons (mainly past students) showed up that night, rocking to American soul and local ska music. Fifty years and countless gigs later, Goodison, now in his late 60s, is planning an event to mark Soul Shack’s golden anniversary. When he spoke to the … Read entire article »

Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS

TYRONE BLAKE OF MERRITONE FAME – DIED AT 69!

TYRONE BLAKE OF MERRITONE FAME – DIED AT 69!

TYRONE Blake, a member of the Merritone family of music fame, died Sunday in St Andrew at age 69. Monty Blake, youngest of the four brothers involved with the Merritone sound system, told the Jamaica Observer that Tyrone died on his way to a brunch. BLAKE… died on Sunday According to Monty, when they reached the venue, his brother complained about not feeling well. He said he was experiencing “severe pains in his head.” Dr Winston Davidson, the Blake … Read entire article »

Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS