Music

The Blind Man From Montego Bay Is Back With A New Single – Praise Jah

Eighteen years ago, roots singer Winston Flags had a life-changing experience when he lost his sight to glaucoma. It was the only time in his life that he thought about giving up music.

But the South Florida-based artiste gradually realized that writing and recording songs were therapeutic and he returned to singing in 2011. His latest songs are Bossman and World is on Fire.

Both songs were originally written and recorded by Flags over 30 years ago. They were re-recorded and produced by Neville Thompson for Buffalo Records and Courtney “Blemo” Crichton’s Intelitec Muzik.

Message Of Hope

“Is message music, yuh nuh, timeless music an’ dat’s what wi believe in from wi start dis thing. These songs still relevant,” he said.

Born Winston Smith, Flags has lived in South Florida for nearly 40 years. He started his career in his native Montego Bay, singing in hotels and clubs like Disco Inferno with the Future Wind band which performed at Reggae Sunsplash in 1979. While losing his vision “change mi mindset”, he knew it was only a matter of time before he returned to music. “Is a thing mi find dat mi love, ’cause it jus’ come naturally. Music is a part of mi an’ is not no monetary thing, is jus’ a natural part of mi,” he said.

Montego Bay Link Up

It was Crichton, another Montego Bay-born, who encouraged Flags to resume recording and ended up producing several of his comeback songs which also include Praise Jah and Time Tough. “It was great working with Blemo, wi have a good thing going. We putting the Roots back in Reggae. This is Message Music, This is music the people need to give them hope and uplift them in the struggle.”

The Early Years

Winston Alexander Smith (A.K.A. Flags) was born in St. James, Montego Bay, Jamaica. He grew up in the Canterbury Community and attended the Albion All Age School. He graduated in 1972. Upon leaving school “Flags” went on to live in the community of Anchovy where he started his musical career. He was the lead singer of Stepping Stone – Calvin Clark, Zoots “Skully” Simms, and Eric “Rickabacka” Frater.

Connect With Flags

In 1974, the Stepping Stone Band merged into the Future Wind Band, led by Hugh “Bobo Lloyd” Hall playing around Jamaica in some small community night clubs. In 1976 “Flags” family left Anchovy for the community of Flankers where he continued to work with the Future Wind Band which became the resident band for various entities, including The Disco Inferno in Rose Hall, The Great River Tours and The Negril Huts Resort.

While grooming his musical talent, “Flags” opened for house name acts such as Eddie Kendricks of the Temptations, Denise Williams and the Trams to name a few.  In the summer of 1979, “Flags” performed on the same stage as the legendary Bob Marley at the Jamaica Reggae Sunsplash. “Flags” sound and style is similar to that of the legendary Bob Marley who is one of his favorite artist. During Reggae Sunsplash of 1981, “Flags” performed a tribute to Bob Marley.   In 1982 he formed his own band Ambassan, which was an offshoot of the Future Wind Band and performed at Reggae Sunsplash again for two more years in 1982 and 1984.

Is a thing mi find dat mi love, ’cause it jus’ come naturally. Music is a part of mi an’ is not no monetary thing, is jus’ a natural part of mi.

Winston Flags Smith

Entertainer

In 1984 “Flags” left his home in Jamaica to pursue the music scene in the United States of America. After migrating to Miami, Florida, he joined forces with the reggae band Immortals consisting of Paul “I-Paul” Gauntlette and junior “Yatta” Biggs. A year later, he started working with producer Courtney “Blemo” Crichton, releasing the singles Cool Rudie and Natty Gone Red on Crichton’s Intellitec label.  

“Flags” also worked with Neville “Prophet Kato” Thompson releasing the song Bossman on the Buffalo label. A remake of Errol Dunkley’s Please Stop Your Lying was also released on the I-Tek label, but it was retitled You’re Gonna Need Me.

Flags” was diagnosed with glaucoma and for years he struggled to maintain his vision. This he was not able to conquer and for the past ten years he has been visually impaired. His blindness has not stopped his recording career. “Flags” is in the process of completing his first album. The first single Praise Jah is presently available on all digital media platforms.

Label & Artist Solutions

Asani Ali Music is one of the world’s leading digital music company which is supported by our parent company Believe Digital. Our mission is to develop independent artists and labels in the digital world by providing them the solutions they need to grow their audience at each stage of their career.

Asani Ali’s passionate team of digital music experts around the world leverages the Group’s global technology platform to advise artists and labels, distribute and promote their music.

Believe Digital has 1,651 employees in more than 50 countries aim to support independent artists and labels with a unique digital expertise, respect, fairness and transparency. Believe offers its various solutions through a portfolio of brands including TuneCore, Nuclear Blast, Naïve, Groove Attack and AllPoints.

For more than 15 years, Asani Ali Music Label & Artist Solutions has been creating and extending distribution and marketing solutions to independent labels and artists in 50 territories across the world. Thanks to in-house technology from Believe built and supported by music and data experts, we deliver all music content and formats to our vast network of over 200 digital platforms and streaming services.

If You are an artist, a label or a manager and you are interested by our distribution solutions? Please get in touch if you’d like to work with us.

Our Solutions

Your Music On All Platforms, Fully Optimized!

  • Audio Distribution
  • Video Distribution
  • Social Media Distribution
  • Physical Distribution
  • Audience Development
Avatar

Asani Ali

About Author

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may also like

Music

Eljai Releases New Single Frenemy On Asani Ali Music Label

Belize favorite son Eljai is set to burst on the scene once again with a new single, “Frenemy” out today
Music

RootsTime Productions Release New Project – iDrop Riddim

Grammy Nominated reggae guitarist and award winning Music Producer Jason “Jahson” Murphey creates the iDrop riddim aka Rootstime riddim and