Terry Linen

Born Kiplin Simpson in 1976 in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, West Indies, the vocalist absorbed the sounds of mid-80s dancehall performers and developed his voice during his teenage years. His recording debut occurred in 1993 after he crossed paths with Anthony Red Rose. The onetime singer, now working behind the board, brought Simpson into the studio to cut the track ‘The Rainbow Never Touched The Ground’. Although the single made little impact, further sessions were completed for the producer’s How Yu Fi Sey Dat imprint. Having gained a foothold in Jamaica’s industry, Simpson concluded that relocating to London would strengthen his prospects. He also traveled across Europe, where he recorded the moderately successful ‘Jah Never Fail I Yet’, later issued by EMI Records in Germany. After returning to Jamaica he reconnected with Red Rose. Colleagues observed that his delivery recalled Garnett Silk, prompting them to christen him Linen. By 1999 his profile was secure following a version of Whitney Houston’s ‘My Love Is Your Love’, which once more paired him with Red Rose, now running the Raggedy Joe fraternity. The cut became a dancehall smash and topped reggae charts worldwide. Additional combination successes arrived with Capleton and Anthony Malvo on ‘Love Is Coming At You’ and with Silver Cat on ‘Who A Di President’.