Two giants of lovers rock will be honoured at the second edition of ‘Lovers Rock: A Night of British Reggae’, which takes place on May 17 at Pon Top Seafood Grill & Bar in Kingston. The songs of singers Vivian Jones and Bitty McLean, who represent different eras of that genre, will be featured.

Jones, born in Trelawny, migrated to the United Kingdom in the late 1960s. He rose to prominence there during the 1970s with a blend of roots-reggae and ballads that announced the lovers rock movement.

Sugar Love and Strong Love were two of his many hit singles in the UK.

McLean, born in the UK to Jamaican parents, is a leader of lovers rock’s new wave. His songs, such as Walk Away From Love and The Real Thing, were massive hits in the UK and Jamaica.

Steve James, main organiser of Lovers Rock: A Night of British Reggae’, told Observer Online that the second event will have a different format than the first show which was held at the same venue in February.

“We have extended the timeframe to give patrons more music to listen to. We will also be doing a mini feature on Bitty Mclean who performed in Jamaica recently for the first time and a tribute to the late Vivian “Sugarlove” Jones,” he said.

James is an authority on lovers rock, a mellow reggae sound which originated in the UK during the late 1970s. It spurred the careers of singers Janet Kay, Peter Hunnigale, Carroll Thompson, and Maxi Priest, who were born in the UK to Jamaican parents.

The first ‘Lovers Rock’: A Night of British Reggae’ attracted Jamaicans who lived in the UK for many years. Some of them, including producers Bertie Grant and Blacka Dread, were responsible for developing the British reggae sound.

– Howard Campbell