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Claudius Linton passed away

Claudius Linton passed away

Claudius Linton passed away

By United Reggae on Friday, July 16, 2010 - 5 comments

Veteran Jamaican reggae singer is gone...

Sampler

This is a really sad time for reggae music. After Sugar Minott’s passing, we have just heard that veteran singer Claudius 'Kingman' Linton passed away.

Claudius Linton recorded several singles in the 1970's, with his group the Hofner Brothers and solo hits like the classic Crying Time. In 1984, after recording an album for producer Jack Ruby, Linton disappeared from the scene.

After more than a 20-years absence, Kingman returned to the music in 2007 with 'Roots Master : The Vintage Roots Reggae Singles', a compilation including his hits and unreleased songs. In 2008, Sun King Records released 'Sign Time', Kingman's brand new album made in collaboration with American musician and producer Ian ‘Jonah’ Jones. After many troubles, he was actually homeless in Long Bay, California.

Kingman was part of the living history of roots reggae music. RIP.

Watch him singing and talking to Press-Telegram about his music in February 2010 :

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Read comments (5)


Posted by Strongtree on 07.28.2010
This is a very sad time indeed for reggae music and the world, Claudius Linton what a great conscious roots singer, his album Roots Master: The Vintage Roots Reggae Singles is a must have!!!

Posted by Bridget on 07.07.2011
MAY YOU RIP SIR CLAUDIUS LINTON..GOD BLESS YOUR SOUL AND THANK YOU!

Posted by Chris on 08.15.2011
I first heard about Claudius when they had finished "Sign Time" and it was getting ready to be released. The Baltimore City Paper did a front page article about it, and I scooped up Sign Time and Roots Master. Both discs were (and continue to be) very special to me, something about his journey, combined with his music, really struck a nerve.

Last I had heard, Claudius was fixing his home after a hurricane, and Jonah was planning on bringing him up to Baltimore for some concerts. After nothing happened with it, I stopped checking. I see this, now, and realized that he was in Baltimore, and homeless, when I was working in homeless services. You always wish you can help more people, but I really would have liked to have been there for him in his hour of need.

Kingman, gone but not forgotten.

Posted by Rob on 11.11.2013
Me and Claudius 1974

Posted by Peter McGhee on 02.03.2014
Can't believe he went out like that! He stayed in 2009 a Summer in our print shop, in Capitol Heights, Maryland. I took him a round to several venues nothing seemed to work till the end of the Summer he stared playing on Reggae night at Carolina KItchen in Hyattsville, Lance London let him play with the regular Reggae band. Things where looking up, and these two White guys from Utah, showed up selling something like a CD rental box not sure if it was REDBOX but something like it. He said this was Gods intervention and that he should travel with them and follow Gods way. I gave him a prepaid sell phone told him to keep in touch. He called his Daughter out west in Seattle or Portland. I talked with her and and told him what he was about to do. She wanted him to stay in Maryland but Claudius, had made up his mind. He and Ian Jones had gotten in to a fight. there is a case in the State of Maryland Judiciary Search site. After a few calls back and forth the CD rental box guys said that they went back to Utah and Claudius was taking a bus to L.A. Claudius, this last producer was not giving any monies from the the sell of albums or Itunes Claudius Linton recorded several singles in the 1970's, with his group the Hofner Brothers and solo hits like the classic Crying Time.After more than a 20-years absence, Kingman returned to the music in 2007 with 'Roots Master : The Vintage Roots Reggae Singles', a compilation including his hits and unreleased songs. In 2008, Sun King Records released 'Sign Time', Kingman's brand new album . Claudius also had an Obama song that was a very strong reggae beat that he said he used to play with Peter Tosh in the slums of KIngston. I hope the ITunes monies and residuals get to his Daughter and Family. When I pressed the questions about the monies after his death this guy got very vague. His comment was that he owned it all. It looks like the Same Old Same Old. Kingman was part of the living history of roots reggae music. Is a very true statement. I hope to meet Leonard Adams in Long Beach one day to tell him what I know of Claudius and hope we can do something about getting some added value to his family. Claudius had a Jamaican National Treasured passport, That is just what he is a World Treasure. If Michael Jackson, and Elvis can make money posthumously then the KIngMan Lives on To! Lets help his legacy and get the funds that his Family deserves!

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