Claudius Linton

Roots reggae vocalist from Jamaica. Claudius Linton released a string of singles during the 1970s and was respected throughout Jamaica, rising to fame at the same time as his friend Bob Marley and many other reggae greats. Linton never gained the same level of fame as some of his contemporaries, and after recording "Reduce the Arms Race" for Jack Ruby in 1984, he disappeared from the scene. In the late 2000s, producer Ian Jones (6) encountered Linton on a beach in Negril and started a conversation about his music. Shortly thereafter, Jones oversaw the 2007 release of 'Roots Master,' a compilation of Linton's 1970s singles, followed by the all-new album 'Sign Time' the next year. It was hoped that these releases would finally bring Linton the fame that had eluded him during his heyday, but unfortunately, this was not the case. By 2010, it was reported that he was living on the streets of Long Beach, California and suffering from diabetes. Claudius Linton died on the 15th of July, 2010 - his passing being largely overshadowed by that of Sugar Minott five days earlier.