WINSTON GROOVY
Winston Gilbert Tucker, better known by his stage name Winston Groovy, was a Jamaican reggae artist whose career flourished primarily in the UK. Though he never achieved widespread fame or critical acclaim beyond British borders, he became known for his heartfelt and soulful reggae tracks released throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. Born in Kingston’s Waltham Park Road area, Tucker’s first foray into music came through a recording session with producer and sound system operator King Edwards. The result, She’s Mine, was never commercially released but gained traction on Edwards’ sound system. In 1961, Tucker moved to Birmingham, UK, and later settled in London in 1969. There, he began collaborating with producer and singer Laurel Aitken and adopted the moniker Winston Groovy. His early UK releases included modest hits like Yellow Bird and Standing On The Corner, but his breakthrough came with I Wanna Be Loved, produced by Lee “Scratch” Perry. In 1970, Groovy and Aitken reimagined the Young Rascals’ Groovin’ in reggae style, marking one of his more notable recordings.