The night Little Junior Tucker ‘mash up’ Bob Marley
Tommy Cowan shares insight into singer’s journey at album launch
Published:Tuesday | October 1, 2024 | 12:08 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
In his very personal introduction of secular-turned-gospel singer Junior Tucker at the birthday celebration and album launch for the entertainer’s Journey ... The Best of Junior Tucker at Swallowfield Chapel last Saturday, music industry veteran Tommy Cowan told some interesting tales. One of them centred around the unexpected reaction of Reggae King Bob Marley when he and Little Junior Tucker performed on the same stage.
A former manager of the Don’t Test singer, Cowan – whose five-minute intro lasted all of 15 – spoke about the early days of Little Junior Tucker and the discipline he helped to instil in him to “make Junior the man who he is today”. Junior Tucker started singing at five years old and by the time he was seven, he had become a household name in Jamaica.
“In this journey as a young kid, he was the actual breadwinner for his family,” Cowan shared. “We would go to places like Montego Bay, and I would have Junior in my lap … he had to sleep before the show ... I would wake him up to do the show and after he performed I’d take him back to Kingston, because he had to go to school.”
He gave further insight into the preparation for the massive journey.
“He didn’t like to run, but we had to keep him exercising just to make sure that his breath was always there. He liked to sing songs such as Reasons, and they call for long notes and strong lungs. I would run back ways and Junior would run me down. At times we had to go to Hellshire, and I would hold him under the water so that he would hold his breath, or you know what would happen. That is part of the discipline that took Junior to where he is today and what he did in the world,” said Cowan, whose wife Carlene Davis has collaborated with Tucker on various projects.
Getting very relaxed and encouraged by the audience’s response, Cowan told an amusing story about the young Junior Tucker being grabbed by a tourist and given a solid kiss after a great performance in Negril.
“The little boy knocked the place over so much that when he walked off the stage, a tourist walked over to him and kissed him ... I mean really kissed him,” Cowan emphasised.
Tucker’s reaction to that kiss was unexpected and caused quite a bit of laughter from the audience when, after a dramatic pause, Cowan said, “And ... Junior ...vomit. He vomit, and he vomit. And we washed out his mouth until we couldn’t wash it out any more.”
TUFF GONG
When Cowan moved from Talent Corp to become the marketing manager for Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong outfit, Junior Tucker was with him and he did a song that went to number one – One of the Poorest People. Tucker also got the opportunity to perform on the same stage as the King of Reggae.
“One of the concerts we did with Bob Marley was called The Year of the Rasta Chile. I remember that night going on stage … Charlie [Roberts, Casual T] had prepared him, but we were worried about his voice changing. Still, we knew how powerful Junior was going to be that night. And there was a lady who was supposed to perform, and we told her that she needed to perform before this child goes on. But she said, ‘No … he’s just a little boy.’ And I could see her legs shaking, because I know she didn’t know what to do after that performance. The next day I walked into Tuff Gong and I saw Bob Marley sitting on a stone in the backyard and I went over to Bob and said, ‘Skip, what’s the matter?’ He said, ‘Listen nuh man … di lickle boy mash me up last night.’ Yes!” Cowan said to howls of laughter.
Junior Tucker also performed at the famous One Love Peace Concert, featuring Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Zappow, Beres Hammond, Ras Michael, Inner Circle and others; and he also did some great songs with producer Danny Browne.
His secular-era catalogue consists of songs such as Love of a Lifetime, Spinning Around, Mr Telephone Man, Which Side of the Coin, Some Guys Have all the Luck and Don’t Test.
A reggae cover of the 1980 Benny Mardones hit Into the Night was an international hit for Tucker and, according to his bio, in 1993 he recorded a No. 1 hit in Love of a Lifetime, releasing an album of the same name later that year for VP Records.
Following the death of his father and birth of his daughter, Tucker embarked on a journey to find himself and his purpose. That resulted in him became a born-again Christian, a lifestyle that he has fully embraced.
Junior Tucker has recorded several Christian reggae albums, including Brand New, Ready for the Rapture, Sold Out – Worship from the Islands and Victory – Worship from the Islands II.
His just-released album, Journey ... The Best of Junior Tucker, is a celebration of his more than 25 years in ministry.