Keep The Troubles Down – Flick Wilson – Ultra Records 7″ – (Top Ranking Sound) Past stock vinyl

A1: Keep The Troubles Down – Flick Wilson – Ultra Records 7″

B1: Troubled – Skin Flesh & Bones – Ultra Records 7″

Produced by Lou Gooden & Ally East
1976/2018
Distributed by Top Ranking Sound

Published by Top Ranking Sound:

Rudolph Charles Thomas, Flick Wilson, or Ruddy Thomas, was the son of an evangelical mother and preacher father, born in 1951. He grew up singing in church and like so many of the young Jamaicans of his time later joined a vocal group who would sing their own versions of American Soul songs.Thomas would eventually go solo and record for Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid. He’d be associated with producers such as Joe Gibbs, Tappa Zukie, and Gussie Clarke and singing back up harmonies for many of Jamaican artistes.

“Keep The Troubles Down” is a dread piece of roots goodness with a walls of Jericho style horns produced by ‘Ultra Records’ partners Alty East and Lou Gooden in 1976. It is a tale of looting and robbing and a cry to the people of the neighborhood to not torch the place, and the “dreadful sight of his sisters crying and brothers dying” were enough to make Ruddy make that plea in a song. Jamaica is known for it’s turmoil and violence throughout it’s history, so it’s safe to believe this is Ruddy’s first hand account of the runnings in his community.

Throughout the years Ruddy crafted himself into a talented engineer and producer as well as a performer. But it would be performing where he’d meet his ultimate end. Ruddy suffered a heart attack and died on stage in 2006 (aged 55) while performing at the popular song contest in Port Antonio, Jamaica.

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