Tinga Stewart

Tinga Stewart entered the world as Neville Stewart in 1959 in Kingston, Jamaica, and continues to sustain a presence in dancehall reggae. Recording activity began for him in the late 1960s, with “She’s Gone” marking his initial effort in 1969, yet momentum arrived through the spontaneous duet “Hear That Train” alongside Ernest Wilson of the Claredonians. At the same time Stewart fronted the Wildcats for engagements at Kingston hotels and clubs, after which he became a member of Byron Lee & the Dragonaires and toured extensively across Jamaica. Although grounded in reggae, he drew tourists through his affinity for American pop, particularly soul material. A period with the Boris Gardner Happening Band concluded his group affiliations before he launched a solo career in 1973 that produced the local success “Funny Feeling.”

Victory at the Jamaica Festival Song Competition followed in 1974 when he performed “Play de Music,” penned by Ernie Smith. The next year his brother Roman Stewart claimed the same prize with “Hooray Festival,” co-written by Stewart and Willie Lindo. Jamaican audiences named him Most Popular Artist in 1981, the year “Nuh Weh Nuh Betts Dan Yard” also extended his recognition beyond the island. He then issued his debut albums and shifted direction by collaborating with Jamaica’s leading DJs, generating a series of dancehall successes. His cover of “Take Time to Know Her” reached number one on global charts and sustained his visibility. Further dancehall work with Ninjaman reinterpreted numerous Drifters classics and additional titles in that style. Willie Lindo supplied the 1994 track “Inside My Heart,” while 1998 brought “Whiter Shade of Pale” and “After All Is Said and Done.”

Stewart now performs internationally rather than solely in Jamaica and generally avoids social or political material. His catalog exceeds ten albums and encompasses roughly two hundred singles.