Causion

Born Gregory Colin Bailey in Antigua, West Indies, the singer grew up in a musical household and drew early inspiration from Jamaican sounds. Teaming with UK-based DJ Spider Don, he cut his first single, the uplifting “African Girl,” which gained traction across the Caribbean yet made little impression on Jamaican audiences. Undeterred by the lack of chart success on the island, he issued a string of regional favorites—“Crossroads,” “Different World,” “All About Love,” and “All Night Long”—that kept his name prominent in smaller Caribbean markets. That regional profile attracted attention in the United States, particularly California, where he teamed with Worl-A-Girl, the protégés of Freddie McGregor, to record a version of Alton Ellis’s “Breaking Up.” The track was hailed as California’s reggae summer anthem of 1995, and its follow-up, “Tell Me,” enjoyed comparable favor. Those releases earned Bailey a slot at Reggae Sumfest in 1995, where he supported Buju Banton, Michael Rose, and Mikey Spice; later the same year he joined Professor Nuts, Lieutenant Stitchie, and Merciless on the Tribute To Garnett Silk Tour. He next entered a recording partnership with Hopeton Lindo and Syl Gordon, who produced his first Jamaican single, “Intimidation,” issued in 1997 on the 321 Strong label. The record found a strong audience in Europe, and the following year Bailey delivered his debut album, Time Will Tell. Returning home in 1999, he mounted the Total Togetherness tour, which led to his recognition as Antigua’s Reggae Ambassador. Continued road work brought further notice, highlighted by a well-received showcase at New York’s Music Festival and appearances on the Guinness Reggae Carifest Tour.