Winston Flags Smith – The World Is On Fire
Flags is at it again. The Blind Man out of Montego Bay, Jamaica teams up once again with the Crichton Clique to bring you another banger – The World Is On Fire.
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 the band Stepping Stone, put together by Calvin Clark and consisted of Zoots “Skully” Simms, one of Jamaica’s great percussionist on drums and Eric “Rickabacka” Frater on guitar.
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.
Anchovy To Flankers
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.
Formed The Ambassan
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. 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.
Montego Bay Link Up
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.
Connect With Asani Ali & The Crichton Clique
“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. This is the second single from that forthcoming album.
Flags? That’s my idrin. Yeah man, wicked singer that, you ain’t see nothing yet, just wait till we finish the album you will see something, yeah man, get ready, we jus a come.
Harvard Alexander
CEO Omix
Subscribe to this monthly newsletter to keep up to date on everything that is happening with Flags. SIGN UP BY CLICKING HERE.
“The World Is On Fire” Is distributed by Asani Ali Music through Believe Digital Worldwide and is available on all major Digital 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
`