Vivian ‘Sugar Love’ Jones passes on
Amid the flood of roots-reggae groups that emerged in the United Kingdom during the 1970s were a crew of singers who helped fashion a genre known as lovers’ rock.
Vivian Jones, one of that sound’s pioneers, died in his native Trelawny on October 27 at age 68.
A statement from Jones’ Imperial House Music Limited confirmed his cancer-related death.
“It is with a broken heart that we announce the passing of Vivian ‘Sugar Love’ Jones. Vivian’s career lasted almost half a century. Over that period, Vivian amassed a number of hits, including Sugar Love, Strong Love, Extra Classic, The First, Rebel Woman, Good Morning, and Lady Of Magic for numerous record labels,” the statement read.
Jones moved to the United Kingdom in 1968 to join his parents in Willesden, a borough in north-west London which had a large West Indian community.
His recording career started in the 1970s, a time of racial and social upheaval in the UK. That unstable period inspired an outburst of Rasta groups like Steel Pulse, Aswad, and Misty In Roots who established hard-core fan bases with defiant black youth.
Some of Jones’ early hit singles, including the patriotic Black Gold And Green and Who’s Going to Get Caught (In Babylon Trap) reflected the times.
But it was lovers’ rock that defined his career. Along with London-born Maxi Priest, Peter Hunnigale, Janet Kay, and Carroll Thompson, Jones helped put that sound on the map.
One of Jones’ closest friends, Steve James, an authority on British reggae, hosted the Lovers Rock show on Irie FM when they first met over 30 years ago.
“We connected instantly and he became my point person in the UK, as he introduced me to almost all the British artistes, musicians, and producers,” James told the Jamaica Observer. “His impact will be felt in Europe and all over as his music impacted the lovers’ rock, roots-reggae, and the sound systems.”
While most of Jones’ songs were done with British bands, such as The Spartans, The Mighty Vibes, The Pieces, and Ruff Cutt, and labels like Jet Star Records and Greensleeves Records, he also recorded with Jamaican producers, including Bobby Digital and Sly and Robbie.
