II’S been 45 years since Pluto Shervington migrated to South Florida, just months after topping Jamaican music charts with the controversial I Man Born Ya.

That song evoked patriotic fervour from a full house during his performance at ‘Pluto And Friends’. That show was held May 28 at Sport of Kings Theater, Gulfstream Racetrack in Hallandale, Florida.

The event’s second instalment also featured Boris Gardiner, Ernie Smith, J C Lodge, Chalice, plus the Fab Five and Code Red bands.

Shervington made cameos throughout the show which was produced by Marco Brown and Tyrone Robertson, Jamaicans who have lived in South Florida for many years.

Robertson was pleased with the turnout and crowd response.

“The performances and the camaraderie between the artistes and bands was the most satisfying aspect of the show… Compliments regarding their performances were shared amongst them all. Additionally, support from fellow members of the music fraternity was heartfelt as shown by the attendance and interaction of many top-rated artistes and musicians,” he said.

Roger Lewis and Bernard “Touter” Harvey of Inner Circle, Lloyd Parks of We The People Band, Richard Daley of Third World, singer Hopeton Lindo, and Oliver Mair, Jamaica’s consul general to Miami, were some of the attendees.

Pluto And Friends was first held in 2020 to celebrate the singer-songwriter’s 50th anniversary in the music business. It also took place at the Sport of Kings Theater.

Shervington made his name during the 1970s with songs like Dat, Your Honour and Ram Goat Liver. All were recorded at Federal Records in Kingston.

I Man Born Ya, released at the height of political turmoil in Jamaica, was his swansong for Federal Records. Shervington settled in South Florida in 1977 and became a pioneer of the region’s reggae scene.

— Howard Campbell