4 months ago
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The brightest of video lights were fixed on legendary singer Ken Boothe as he slowly and laboriously made his way up the flight of five, evenly placed, steps that would take him on to the stage at Jam in France at the French Embassy last Thursday.
Boothe was a welcome surprise guest at the rollicking Reggae Month event, which is now enjoying its third staging and seems to get bigger and better each year. He was assisted on stage by members of his team who directed his steps. “Two more ... one more ... all right, yuh on stage now.”
The Artibella singer has spoken in previous interviews about his failing eyesight, which has apparently worsened.
Taking the mic, the Train is Coming singer looked a bit feeble, and some wondered if he could really deliver. But, once he opened his mouth and started singing, traces of frailty disappeared. Vocally, the real Ken Boothe was in charge and his voice sounded as good as new.
As he sang Everything I Own, a member of the audience shouted with gusto, “Yuh still have it!” and there was agreement in the air.
His short set included the popular Silver Words, which again was an excellent delivery and warranted a “pull up”. He paused to give thanks to the organisers and to Minister of Culture Olivia Grange, one of his former managers. That was the cue for the dignitaries to join him on stage for treasured photo ops.
Boothe, who has been a staple in the music industry for more than 60 years, told The Sunday Gleaner that Thursday’s performance was only his second in the last four years.
“I’m not really doing shows now,” he said, speaking softly and slowly. “I have accepted what is happening to me. I take it one day at a time. It’s the Parkinson’s that is in my knees,” Boothe added.
The disease is responsible for slowing down the man nicknamed ‘Mr Shoes’ a nod to his ‘boot’ surname and his energetic stage performances wearing his eternal dancing shoes.
On Thursday, ‘Mr Shoes’ stood still as his fans danced and sang during his performance. There was no sweat trickling down his forehead and his shirt remained dry, unlike in his heyday when it would be so wet that he would need a change of clothes after leaving the stage.
However, the indomitable Ken Boothe is not about to throw a pity party, instead he is throwing himself fully into studio work in the comfort of his home studio.
“He might not be doing shows, but he is working just as hard. He is doing more studio work than ever before,” his manager told The Sunday Gleaner. “Ken recorded two or three albums in the last two years, and numerous singles.”
Boothe, whose bio states that he achieved an international reputation as one of Jamaica’s finest vocalists through a series of crossover hits that appealed to both reggae fans and mainstream audiences, chronicled his journey in a 2019 book titled My Reggae Journey.
Born in Denham Town, Kingston, he developed an interest in music after receiving encouragement from his eldest sister, Hyacinth Clover, who was an established vocalist. Stranger Cole, who was also an established artiste and Boothe’s neighbour, worked with fledgling entertainer on the Sir Percy sound system, and had recorded two songs with him.
In 1963 after Cole arranged an audition at Duke Reid’s studio, they performed the song Uno Dos Tres and the duo, Stranger & Ken, was born. Hush Baby was their first official single, and this was followed by the singles Thick in Love, World’s Fair, Hush, and Artibella.
Ken Boothe received a big payday when in 1995 a version of The Train Is Coming, reworked with Shaggy, was used in the soundtrack for the film Money Train.
In 2003, Boothe was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government for his contribution to Jamaican music.
English (US) ·