A disciple of roots-reggae, Donovan Joseph came into the music business during the 1970s when that sound was red-hot. He has never turned his back on it.

In February, Positive, a song by the veteran singer, was released. It is produced by Red A Red Records, a New Jersey-based company owned by his son and fellow artiste, Jermaine “Autarchii” Joseph.

“Is a song weh tell people fi be positive no matter what yuh going through in life. Is suh mi live life; wi try nuh focus on negative things ’cause dat bring bad vibes,” said the elder Joseph.

Positive is among a cache of songs Joseph has recorded in recent years. Another of his latest singles is My Best Girl, a collab with St Lucian deejay Daddy Twan.

The wiry artiste cut his teeth in the Greenwich Farm music scene during the 1970s. That community was a hotbed of roots activity thanks to singers such as Earl Zero, Johnny Clarke, Cornel Campbell, and Prince Alla, as well as guitarist/producer Earl “Chinna” Smith and producers Bunny Lee and Bertram Brown.

Joseph recorded several songs for Brown and Smith for their Freedom Sounds Records and High Times Records, respectively. His first released song, Nature in Love, was done in 1980 as a member of the group Time Unlimited, for High Music, another of Smith’s labels.

Smith also produced Joseph’s 1989 debut solo song, I’ve Got A Feeling, and the 1992 cover of Delroy Wilson’s True Believer in Love.

Brown produced his first album, Sounds of Many Colours, released in 1990. Brown, Smith and Joseph co-produced Grow — Josephs’ second album which came out four years later.

He has high praise for Smith, one of reggae’s most prolific session musicians.

“Chinna a one a di greatest, yuh learn so many great things from him. You’re like a student,” said Joseph.

Donovan Joseph has two albums scheduled for release in 2023. They are produced by Red A Red Records and Montego Records.