The comeback album from Winston “Niney” Holness is scheduled for release in early 2021. He told the Jamaica Observer recently that final touches on the yet-titled project was stalled by the coronavirus.

“Mi have at least three people interested in putting it out, but wi naah tek nuh chance. Wi naah risk nuthin,” said Holness.

The producer announced plans for a return to singing early last year, after experiencing indifferent results from another attempt at producing music in Jamaica. Holness said he was dis-satisfied with the artistes he was recording at his Observer Soundbox Studio in Kingston.

One of the songs he worked on for the self-produced album is Thank You, which was done with drummer Sly Dunbar, keyboardist Robbie Lyn and bassist Flabba Holt. Follow-up sessions took place early this year with Holt and guitarist Dalton Browne.

Holness reckons the album will have 14 songs including a cover of Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds.

Though he is recognised among reggae’s great producers, the Montego Bay-born Holness (real name George Boswell) made his name as an artiste with the raucous Blood And Fire which was a hit in the United Kingdom in 1971. Two years later, he began churning out hit songs as a producer for his Observer label with Dennis Brown ( Cassandra, Westbound Train) and Ken Boothe ( Silver Words).

Holness went on to produce hits by Gregory Isaacs ( Slavemaster), Sugar Minott ( Lover’s Race) and Third World ( Roots With Quality).

— Howard Campbell