Tony Chin

Born Albert Valentine Chin in Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, he launched his musical path by performing on drums and bugle within assorted youth ensembles. Later taking up lead guitar, he teamed with bassist George ‘Fully’ Fullwood in the Rhythm Raiders, a unit that matured into the Soul Syndicate. That ensemble became a sought-after session outfit whose roster also included Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith, Bernard ‘Touter’ Harvey, and Carlton ‘Santa’ Davis, the last of whom was succeeded by Keith Sterling. The musicians backed dates for Winston ‘Niney’ Holness, Keith Hudson, and Bunny Lee, the latter of whom christened them the Aggrovators. Chin’s signature bottleneck lines distinguished the well-known track “Observer Station.” The musicians further supplied live accompaniment for lead singers such as Freddie McGregor, Dennis Brown, Cynthia Richards, and Earl Zero. Throughout the seventies they backed U-Roy, the Mighty Diamonds, and Big Youth on overseas tours, after which they were enlisted to support Peter Tosh, stepping in for Sly and Robbie within the second incarnation of Word Sound and Power. Subsequent to Tosh’s death the players appeared at a commemorative concert and forged a partnership with his son Andrew Tosh. By the early nineties the collective had withdrawn from active work, leaving Chin based in Florida, where he accepted an invitation to Big Mountain after a short tenure with the Reggae All Stars. Recognized as the foremost American reggae outfit, the band reached the pop listings with its rendering of “Baby, I Love Your Way.” While handling rhythm guitar duties, Chin additionally contributed to the songwriting process and was given the chance to deliver lead vocals.