Misty In Roots

Misty in Roots carried African musical traditions into Britain under the forceful lead vocals and songwriting of Delbert “Ngoni” McKay together with the trumpet and vocal contributions of Wolford “Porko” Tyson. The three Tyson brothers, one of whom was Duxie Tyson, who later drowned in a swimming accident, originally assembled the group to accompany Jamaica-born singer Nicky Thomas. After parting from Thomas in 1978, the band quickly earned recognition among England’s strongest emerging concert attractions through its first release, Live at Counter Eurovision. Although its earliest work remained grounded in Jamaican reggae, the ensemble gradually redirected its sound toward African sources. In 1982 the musicians resided in Zambia for nine months; five years afterward they undertook a prolonged stay in West Africa. Environmental concerns supplied a continuing source of inspiration, prompting the group in 1983 to record the score for the documentary Earth, which explored humanity’s impact on the planet. Their final recording of that era, the 1989 album Forward, was followed by several years of inactivity. Near the beginning of the new century the original members reunited and resumed live performances, issuing the comeback album Roots Controller in 2002. Co-founder Delbert McKay passed away on October 1, 2021, at the age of 67.