Icho Candy | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Winston Lloyd Evans [1] |
| Born | c. 1964 (age 60–61) |
| Origin | Jamaica |
| Genres | Reggae |
| Instrument | vocals |
| Years active | late 1970s–present |
| Labels | Jah Shaka |
Winston Lloyd Evans (born c. 1964), better known as Icho Candy, is a Jamaican reggae singer.
Icho Candy first came to prominence singing with sound systems such as the one run by producer Jack Ruby. [2] [3] Ruby produced Candy's debut release, "Little Children No Cry", but it was not a success, and Candy moved on to work with Joe Gibbs, with whom he recorded "Bandulu". [2] [3] His third single, "Captain Selassie I" gave him a breakthrough, proving to be his biggest hit, although he received little financial reward. [3] His career got a boost when a performance on Ruby's sound system was featured in the Channel 4 documentary Deep Roots Music, leading to interest from the UK. [2] He recorded more successfully for Prince Jazzbo's Ujama label, with singles such as "Mr. User" and "Bloodsucker". [2] [4] He went on to record for Augustus Pablo before working with Jah Shaka in the late 1980s and 1990s, releasing two albums on Shaka's label. [2]
Candy's signature tune, "Captain Selassie I", originally released on the Jwyanza label, has become very popular since its release in 1983 and remains sought-after in its 45rpm single format. [5]
Icho Candy continues to perform live, including a set at Rebel Salute in 2009. [6]