AUGUST 25 is the release date for Junior Reid: The Living Legend, a 19-song album from the veteran roots singer.

The set will be launched with a listening party at Reid’s Crescent Court guest house in St Andrew.

“We plan to stream the album release party, it’s going to be a great night of entertainment,” Reid said.

‘The Living Legend’ is the 52-year-old Reid’s 17th album and first in over 10 years. It contains songs like Love You Back, Never Let You Go, This Generation (with Sizzla), Same Boat, Lonely Girl and Never Too Rough which features Julian Marley.

Several producers worked on the album including Reid, his son Adoney and Lynford ‘Fatta’ Marshall.

The durable Reid, whose career started in 1978 as a protege of singer Hugh Mundell, said he went back to basics for his latest work.

“We went for an original roots-rock feel. However, the lead single Love You Back has a pop-commercial feel, that is why we shot a video for the international market. The video will be released a week before the album is officially released,” Reid said.

From the Kingston community of Waterhouse, Reid emerged as a bona fide talent in the 1980s with songs like Original Foreign Mind, The Great Train Robbery (done while he was with Black Uhuru) and Boom Shacka Lacka.

Anthems such as One Blood, released in 1990, have earned him a lasting dancehall following, as well as new fans in the hip hop arena.

Since 2006, Reid has had three strong sellers in the United States with It’s Okay (with rapper The Game), This is Why I’m Hot (with rapper MIMS) and No One, a remix with Alicia Keys.