IN the 50 years since they formed, The Fabulous 5 Inc have endured political and gang warfare, natural disasters and Jamaica’s constantly changing music trends. The band’s biggest challenge came this year with COVID-19.

The pandemic was a party crasher for Fab 5’s Golden Anniversary. A virtual show celebrating the rare milestone took place on November 29 but for founding member and bassist Frankie Campbell, the highly contagious virus foiled their plans.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer Campbell said, “The COVID-19 experience is proving to be the hardest period in Fab 5’s 50 years of existence. Not been able to work in any meaningful way has certainly put a lot of financial pressure on our very survival.”

Much of the band’s income is from live shows in Jamaica and North America. With COVID-19 limiting gatherings and travel abroad, that activity took a beating.

Campbell, who is also Fab 5’s manager, said the virtual gig from the Little Little Theatre in Kingston attracted over 17,000 viewers. Most of them, he reckoned, came from Jamaica, the United States and Canada.

Before the COVID-19 shutdown in March, Fab 5 had a full slate.

“We were looking forward to a great year both here at home and abroad, (but) all our plans and tours had to be cancelled which is very traumatic to say the least. The vibe in the band is still very good and the members are all rearing to get back on stage,” Campbell disclosed.

Drummer/vocalist Grub Cooper and guitarist/engineer Junior Bailey are the other original members still with the band. The current line-up also includes keyboardist Sidney Thorpe (a 41-year member); keyboardist Donovan Palmer (38 years); guitarist Cleveland Manderson (15 years); trumpeter Andre Palmer (15 years) and Andrew Cassanova, who has been lead vocalist for 10 years.

Fab 5 started in 1970 with singer Peter Scarlett, keyboardist Conroy Cooper and guitarist Steven Golding. Scarlett died in 1989; Conroy, Grub’s older brother, died last year. Golding now plays with the Roots Radics Band.

Their accomplishments include playing on Johnny Nash’s 1973 album, I Can See Clearly Now; producing and playing on Who Feels it Knows It, Rita Marley’s 1980 album; and ruling the 1980s soca scene with a flurry of songs like Yu Safe and Jamaican Woman.

Despite the unavoidable setbacks, Campbell and his band-mates acknowledge reaching 50, a feat accomplished by a handful of Jamaican bands including Byron Lee and The Dragonaires, Soul Syndicate and Inner Circle.

“It is with a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that we embrace this milestone and we don’t take it for granted,” he said.