Not Fade Away

JOHNNY NASH

Pop-reggae pioneer (1940-2020)

IN 1965, Texan singer Johnny Nash visited Jamaica during promotional duties for his single “Let’s Move And Groove Together”, which was already an R&B hit back home. Fascinated by the emergent sound of reggae, he decided to buy a house in Kingston and began recording at Federal Studios. He and manager Danny Sims duly set up Cayman Music and, two years later, signed Bob Marley & The Wailers to the publishing company and their label, JAD.

Nash was pivotal in introducing Marley to an international audience, taking his version of “Stir It Up” into the charts in 1972, the same year he brought the Wailers to London as a support act. By then, Nash had landed his own transatlantic hit with 1968’s self-penned “Hold Me Tight”, plus further singles “You Got Soul” and “Cupid”. 1972 also saw the release of Nash’s signature composition, “I Can See Clearly Now”. A million-selling hit with an uplifting message of optimism and renewal, it was a perfect showcase for his smooth tenorcharts and went Top 5 in Britain, swiftly followed by another sizeable success, “There Are More Questions Than Answers”. The parent album also included four Marley tunes.