Nadine Sutherland hails Winston ‘Merritone’ Blake
Published:Sunday | December 12, 2021 | 12:10 AMSade Gardner - Staff Reporter
Be mindful of the things you repeat – it’s the takeaway singer Nadine Sutherland wants people to get from a chapter in her story that involved false and hurtful rumours that she was a drug addict.
The soulful performer, who had risen to prominence when the gossip started, said there were various people who supported her during that period, most notably late sound system giant Winston ‘Merritone’ Blake.
“I call him my angel,” Sutherland told The Sunday Gleaner. “I speak about him every time, and the reason why I do it ad nauseum, I guess, is because in Jamaica, women have had some really bad experiences with men who are manipulative and exploitative and who step in their lives for reasons that are not honourable. There are a lot of stories that are coming out now of men in the music industry. Winston was [a man in the industry], and when you look at it, it’s not like seh mi did ugly. I was a younger woman to him in a very vulnerable position, and there was no exploitation, there was only support, and he never asked for anything in return. There are other men in the industry who did that, too, and I really want that to be out there.”
Sutherland recently shared on Sim Soul Sessions that she had known of Blake because of her involvement in the music industry but that he started coming around her circle when the public trials began.
“Him never used to come in my physical space a lot unless he was taking me out of the house, but he would call me all the time, discuss what I was going through, and he came if I needed anything like support, a drive, or just anyone to talk to … . When I started cursing out everybody and saying the world is such a dark place and everybody is bad, he challenged me and said, ‘Everybody is bad?’. He put things in perspective for me … . He would say something like ‘You can park there, but don’t stop there’…. Basically, you might be having a moment, but it’s not a place you must stay in permanently… . Try to develop the tools and resources to move from the space. That was the most profound thing that he ever said to me, so even now in my life, I’m not afraid to really feel something, but I know that in terms of staying there, how destructive it can be … .”
Her angel ultimately told her that she was strong enough to navigate the space without him holding her hand but noted that “he never took away his whole presence … . He was still there, and we developed a stronger friendship as time went by. I started stepping out and doing stuff. I think I started doing Rising Stars. I started recording again and living a little without him coercing me to step out and be brave.”
The help Sutherland received has encouraged her to do likewise for her peers and others outside of the industry who fall on hard times. Like Blake, she does it without expecting anything in return.
Another practice he passed on to her was going to funerals to offer support to families. Blake’s own funeral was in 2016. He died following complications from asthma.
Among those watching Sutherland’s commendation to Blake was his younger brother, Monte, who told The Sunday Gleaner that he cried as she spoke.
“She really big up my brother big time, and she’s not the only one. That’s him, that’s his persona,” Monte said. “He likes to give, and when he passed, she came by the house every day and sit down and cry with me. He had a special thing with artistes, with people in general, and he’d walk the extra mile just to see them go on the right side of the track. That’s Winston.”
His brother’s motivation to support Sutherland was also rooted in his own experiences with hearsay.
“People tend to don’t like people that are successful, it’s either envy or bad mind, but even when his wife (singer Cynthia Schloss) died, there was a rumour that he killed her,” Monte shared. “There was a rumour one time that he’s gay because in those days we used to carry we little strap bag over we shoulder, so people used to find everything to talk about. He was the first guy I know – other from people in the Arab countries – that hugs and kisses all genders. He was like that, he was just different, and so it’s a thing now with Merritone; anytime we see anybody, we kiss.”
Monte said this level of love is consistent with the Merritone brand and family. They recently raised funds for the Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates (JAVAA), a handing over that will unfold on December 20. Winston was a founding member of JAVAA, and the family has played an integral role in supporting the needs of members of the entity.
With more than 70 years in the business, the Merritone sound system has not only stood the test of time but established itself as a force of philanthropy and hub for bringing people together.