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Veteran R&B singer wants to make ‘magic’ with Marcia Griffiths

Published:Wednesday | August 10, 2022 | 12:08 AMAnthony Turner/Gleaner Writer
Reggae Queen Marcia Griffiths has garned millions of fans worldwide, including Orlando Stuart Morgan, former lead singer of American R&B group Blue Magic, who says he’d love to collaborate with the veteran musician.
Reggae Queen Marcia Griffiths has garned millions of fans worldwide, including Orlando Stuart Morgan, former lead singer of American R&B group Blue Magic, who says he’d love to collaborate with the veteran musician.
Orlando Stuart Morgan
Orlando Stuart Morgan
Known for songs such as ‘Sideshow’, ‘Spell’, ‘What’s Come Over Me’ and ‘Three Ring Circus’, Blue Magic’s former lead singer, Orlando  Stuart Morgan, said Marcia Griffiths’ music has always ‘touched his soul’.
Known for songs such as ‘Sideshow’, ‘Spell’, ‘What’s Come Over Me’ and ‘Three Ring Circus’, Blue Magic’s former lead singer, Orlando Stuart Morgan, said Marcia Griffiths’ music has always ‘touched his soul’.
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NEW YORK:

Orlando Stuart Morgan, former lead singer of American R&B group Blue Magic that garnered international acclaim with ballads Sideshow, Spell, What’s Come Over Me, Three Ring Circus and Stop to Start told The Gleaner that he would love to record a song with Reggae Queen Marcia Griffiths.

“Marcia’s songs have always touched my soul. It’s how she delivers the message in her music that moves me. She is also very beautiful,” he declared.

Listed among Morgan’s favourite songs are Desperate Lover, I Shall Sing and the singalong classic Truly.

Morgan said he fell in love with reggae music in the 1970s.

“I learned about Marcia Griffiths way back in the ‘70s. Actually ... I love all her songs. I also love the Heptones, The Mighty Diamonds, The Cables ... The list goes on and on,” he confessed.

The singer who was inducted into The Doo Wop Hall Of Fame in 1999 went further. He suggested he would love to do an album of covers of Griffiths’ most iconic songs if the opportunity presented itself.

“I feel my vocals could do justice to some of her classic songs. I would love to record a track with her. It would also be outstanding to share a stage with her as well,” he shared.

On Sunday, August 14, Morgan is booked to unleash his musical prowess at the 2022 annual Tri-State Family Funfest’ slated for the Heckscher State Park in Long Island, New York.

He will be joined by popular Jamaican show band, Fab 5, that emerged on the music scene in Jamaica in the late ‘60s. The group has made a name locally and internationally as a premier reggae and soca band. For the past five decades, they have released over 26 albums.

They have scored several No. 1 hits in Jamaica. A high point of the band’s career came when they were featured musicians on Johnny Nash’s platinum album, I Can See Clearly Now. They have since won over 30 major awards in Jamaica and was voted the top band for three consecutive years by Swing magazine.

Organiser, Conroy Allison, shared that the event has earned a reputation as one of the best family fun events in New York.

“Jamaicans globally have a deep love and appreciation for ‘70s reggae and soca. Vintage R&B also remains a staple among Jamaicans at home and abroad, especially among those 40 years and above. This is the market segment that makes up the core demographics that have attended the festival over the past 20-plus years,” Allison opined.

He added, “With Jamaica celebrating its 60th independence anniversary what better time, than on the occasion of our diamond jubilee, to pair these three music genres that we love and present them to our 10,000-plus faithful patrons in New York.”