Early confirmations for Rebel Salute 2019

R & B singer Marvin Moore and Jamaican songbird Marcia Aitken are both confirmed for Rebel Salute 2019, scheduled for Grizzly's Plantation Cove in St Ann. Moore, who sang the hook on the Grammy Award-winning single Maria Maria' and Aitken, whose 1977 hit I'm Still in Love with You Boy got mainstream publicity in February when Beyonce used the song to announce her On The Run II tour with Jay-Z, were announced for the two-day festival by its founder and CEO Tony Rebel at the New York launch in Brooklyn last Friday.

"I been wanting to perform at Rebel Salute for a number of years," Aitken told The Gleaner, adding, "I met with Tony about a month ago, and he made the suggestion, and I said, 'Of course', and here we are. It's a very good feeling to return to a stage in Jamaica after 30 years."

I'm Still in Love with You was originally recorded in 1967 by singer Alton Ellis. Sean Paul's version with Sasha peaked at No. 1 in Mexico and Poland and reached No. 6 in the UK and No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. Aitken's version was a No. 1 number hit song in Jamaica and the UK in the '70s.

Moore, a member of the successful R&B duo Product Gang, sang on the Billboard Top 100 single Maria Maria, which featured Carlos Santana and Wyclef Jean. Product Gang also released singles such as Cluck Cluck and Dirty Dancin.

"It has been a long time since I have been to Jamaica. It is a blessing to be asked to perform at Rebel Salute," Moore told The Gleaner, moments after receiving a rousing applause from attendees at the launch.

"I am fortunate because not everybody gets that call. For me I feel lucky," he added.