Although he has led The RefleXX Band in Connecticut for over 20 years, singer/bassist Timmy Love says his most enjoyable time as a musician was playing on Jamaica’s north coast.

That is where he learned to appreciate diverse songs like Forever Young, a power ballad originally done in the early 1980s by German band Alphaville. American pop singer Laura Branigan also did a popular version.

Timmy Love recently covered the song reggae-style. He told the Jamaica Observer that the lyrics have special meaning.

“It has a great message. To me, Forever Young is what I learned from my Christian mother, Agnes Lovelace. She said that, ‘God is gone to prepare a place for all his children, a place where we will never grow old’,” said Timmy Love.

The beat for his rendition came while he and his son Donnohue were tinkering in his home studio. It was officially released in October.

Timmy Love (real name Timothy Lovelace) is from St Mary. A bass player, his playing is inspired by Jamaicans Richard Barr and Derrick Barnett, as well as American Victor Wooten.

He credits the tourist circuit for making him a rounded performer.

“I played for eight years on the north coast. It helped make me a showman by getting a lot of experience from the stage and different shows,” said Love.

Moving to the United States, Timmy Love formed The RefleXX Band which plays throughout the tristate area and has released five albums.

— Howard Campbell