Winston Anthony Morris (1 April 1955 – 20 April 2024), known professionally as Tony Tuff, was a Jamaican reggae singer and a member of The African Brothers in the late 1960s and 1970s before embarking on a solo career.
Tony Tuff | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Winston Anthony Morris |
| Born | 1 April 1955 |
| Origin | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Died | 20 April 2024 (aged 69) |
| Genres | Reggae, dancehall, lovers rock |
| Years active | 1969–2024 |
Biography edit
Tuff started his career in 1969 as a member of the vocal trio The African Brothers, along with Sugar Minott and Derrick "Bubbles" Howard.[1][2] The African Brothers split up in the mid-1970s, and Tuff pursued other work outside music until he returned as a solo artist in the late 1970s, with the album Tony Tuff Meets Errol Schorder [sic], split with Errol Scorcher, and self-productions including the "I'm So Glad" single on his own Winston label.[1] He worked with Yabby You on the Tony Tuff album in 1980, and worked with Minott again on the 1981 album Presenting Mr. Tuff, released on Minott's Black Roots label. He worked on several sound systems in the late 1970s and 1980s, including Lees Unlimited and Henry "Junjo" Lawes' Volcano system.[1][3] Lawes also produced several successful singles by Tuff including "Water Pumpee", and "Mix Me Down", and also produced his 1983 album Come Fe Mash It. He continued to be active during the 1980s, but was largely absent from the music scene in the 1990s. He returned in 2000, and has recorded several albums in the new millennium, including How Long, recorded with Jah Shaka. He toured Europe twice in 2002, before touring Canada and the United States.[4]
Tony Tuff died on 20 April 2024, at the age of 69.[5]
Discography edit
- Tony Tuff Meets Errol Schorder (1978), Mal's – with Errol Scorcher
- Tony Tuff (1980), Grove Music/Island
- Hustling (1981), Scorcher
- Presenting Mr. Tuff (1981), Black Roots
- Reggae in the City (1981), TR International
- Tuff Selection (1982), Island Records
- Come Fe Mash It (1983), Volcano
- Render Your Heart (1984), CSA
- Wha We A Go Do (1984), Top Rank
- Ketch A Fire (1986), Hawkeye
- Keep the Faith (1987), Black Scorpio
- From Tony Tuff To Lovers Everywhere (198?), TR International
- Singers Reggae Showcase (2000), Jamaican Vibes
- Link Up (2001), Rhino
- Hit & Run (2001), Prestige Elite
- Say Something (2006), Groove Attack/Minor 7 Flat 5
- How Long (2006), Jah Shaka Music
- How Long Dub (2009), Jah Shaka Music – Jah Shaka featuring Tony Tuff
- Tony Tuff & Jah Stitch – Rumours of War / Dragon, Snake & Spider
- Compilations
- The Best of Tony Tuff (1983), Vista Sounds
- 20 Super Hits (19??), Sonic Sounds
References edit
- ^ a b c Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9, p. 303
- ^ Moskowitz, David V. (2006) Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall, Greenwood Press, ISBN 0-313-33158-8, p. 298
- ^ Anderson, Rick "Say Something Review", AllMusic
- ^ Walters, Basil (2003) "Tony Tuff coming 'fi mash it' at Startime tomorrow[permanent dead link]", Jamaica Observer, 11 July 2003, retrieved 16 September 2009
- ^ Mallick, Dani (21 April 2024). "Tony Tuff, 'Girl I've Got To Get You' Singer, Dead At 69". DancehallMag. Retrieved 21 April 2024.