Lu Wilson reimagines Kenny Rogers’ ‘Lady’

He recently recorded a reggae cover of the song which was released last May by Pineapple Records. His version was mixed in Jamaica by Michael Williamson, with Clive Hunt credited as executive producer.

‘Lady is his fifth interpretation of a classic song. He has reimagined ‘My Number One’ by Gregory Isaacs, ‘Bend Down Low’ and ‘She Used To’ by Bob Marley; Dennis Brown’s ‘The Promised Land’ and ‘Let’s Go Dancing’, originally done by Kool And The Gang.

For the Lionel Ritchie-penned ‘Lady’, he used a similar approach.

“For me, covering a classic has never simply been about copying the original. It is about respecting the song, keeping its soul alive and then bringing my own reggae identity, experience and feeling to it,” said Lu Wilson.

A reggae disciple for over 50 years, Lu Wilson was born in the Ivory Coast (now Côte d’Ivoire) to parents from Martinique. He discovered reggae after returning to their homeland as a boy.

That interest grew while living for periods in France, the United Kingdom and French Polynesia. Dennis Brown, Sugar Minott, Freddie McGregor and Hugh Mundell were some of the artistes Lu Wilson listened to early on.

A turning point in his career came 49 years ago.

“I started back in 1977 with the band Sion, which I formed with Ras Levi of RMTG, on the banks of the canal in Fort de France, what we used to call the Trench Town of Martinique,” he recalled.

“My first major stage appearance came in 1982 when we opened for the legendary UK reggae band Aswad at Stade Louis Achille, the same venue that now hosts the famous Martinique festival, Reggae Therapy.”

It was at another festival in Martinique during the mid-1980s that he met legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius. They became quick friends, and when the American musician left the island, he gave Lu Wilson a sweaty souvenir.

“After his last concert he came up to me with his T-shirt completely soaked in sweat and said, ‘Lu, you have been so good to me. Control this!’ Then he threw me the T-shirt,” Lu Wilson reminisced. “I remember looking at this soaking wet shirt and thinking, ‘Man, what am I supposed to do with this?’ But I kept it.”

He soon noticed the words, ‘Kenny Rogers Tour ’83 on the perspiratory memento.

“I didn’t really know who Kenny Rogers was at the time, so I started looking into him. And that is how I discovered ‘Lady’,” said Lu Wilson. “The lyrics, Lionel Richie’s melody and the emotion of Kenny Rogers’ performance completely touched me.”

(Photo contributed)