IT’S been almost 20 years since singer Audley Rollen gave his life to the Lord. Now an ordained minister, he preaches the gospel but never turned his back on his reggae roots.

He blends both on Never Knew Love Till You, a rocksteady-flavoured song that hears him savouring his relationship with the Almighty.

He co-produced the single with his wife Dawn Marie Wisdom, who is also a minister of religion.

“Christianity has impacted my life in a meaningful and a special way, and so, as a minister of the gospel I share the Word with everyone. I overlook no one, the Word must be heard,” Rollen told the Jamaica Observer.

For Never Knew Love Till You he collaborated with Jason Farmer, a prolific studio musician whose credits include production on Morgan Heritage’s Grammy-winning album Strictly Roots.

Though he became a Christian in 2002, Rollen maintained his ties to reggae.

“My musical foundation is reggae, and I still have a passion for it. Looking back, there was just so much joy singing and playing reggae music with people like Earl “Chinna” Smith, Robbie Shakespeare, Bernard “Touter” Harvey, Basil “Benbow” Creary, the Barrett Brothers, “Family Man” and Carlton, Dennis Brown, Milton Henry, Leroy Brown, Carl Dawkins, Horace Andy, and Tony Russell to name a few. It’s all good,” said Rollen.

Though he was raised in Jones Town, Greenwich Farm and Allman Town, Rollen came of age musically in east Kingston. There, he was a member of The Emotions, a group that also included Lloyd Shakespeare, older brother of Robbie, Milton Henry and Leroy Brown.

As a solo artiste, his best known songs were Repatriation and Hallelujah. The Word has impacted his most recent productions including Never Knew Love Till You.

“My faith had everything to do with writing and recording this song. Faith allowed me to experience God’s love and it comforted me in knowing that the unconditional love of God is above all,” Rollen said.

— HOWARD CAMPBELL