Krista Henry, Staff Reporter
Ray, Goodman and Brown blending their melodious voices to woo the crowd at Club Inferno, Montego Bay, St. James, in late December 2006. Larry Winfree (left) sings second tenor, Al Goodman (second left) barritone, Kevin Owens (second right) is lead vocalist and first tenor, and Billy Brown (right) also sings lead vocals and is first tenor. - Noel Thompson/Freelance Photographer
Some things may change, but love will always be around. And while love lasts forever, with 30 years of singing love songs to their credit, soul group Ray, Goodman and Brown is looking timeless.
Handpicked by music producer Sylvia Robinson in the 1970s, Al Goodman, Harry Ray and Billy Brown were once 'The Moments' hitting the charts with Love Is a Two Way Street, among other hits. Despite the tragic death of group member Harry Ray in 1992 , the group didn't stop moving forward, adding Kevin Owens. Billy Brown says "when Kevin came in he knew everything, all the songs, melodies and he won out of everybody".
Since then the group has continued along the path of soul, making love music even when most others weren't. "Our producer, she started us with love ballads. That's what carried us throughout the years. It was the love songs that made us through the early days as Ray, Goodman and Brown. When disco came out we stayed with the love songs; it's been love all the way. Love will never die. People are always falling in and out of love. Some things change, but love is always there," Billy Brown said.
Love hits
True to form the group has had massive love hits with Special Lady, Happy Anniversary and This is the Way Love Should Be, among others, most of which were written by the trio. The music isn't all, as for the group looking good for the ladies is an entire package.
"Sylvia, being a woman, she told us what women love to see from a man and hear from a man. How they like to see you dress, that was 80 per cent of our show. We had all kinds of clothes. It's a lasting persona for years, Ray, Goodman and Brown from the moment we hit the stage, unlike every other group. It's another level of performance, fashion, attitude. We cement ourselves in people's minds as quality," Kevin Owens said.
Designer and group member Ice Winford ensures that the group is always fashionable. Having performed in Jamaica at least 20 times, local audiences always welcome them with open arms. It is not only in Jamaica that they get an excellent reception, as according to Kevin the group has an excellent rapport with Jamaican crowds across the world.
Despite not releasing an album since 2003, the group has stayed current with fans by working with other artistes, such as Alicia Keyes, doing back-up for You Don't Know My Name on the The Diary of Alicia Keyes album.
"She took us a lot of places with her, on all the shows. It kinda gave us a big boost. We call her our angel," Brown said.
After what Goodman calls a brief hiatus from recording, the group is ready to do an album for Christmas 2007. He says "it's gonna be a mixture of standard Christmas songs, plus what we've written. Thirty something years we never done one, so we don't wanna come out with any junk".
Although Kingston fans missed the chance to see them at Special Lady over the holidays, the group will be performing tomorrow at the Foundation Music Showcase, Constant Spring Golf Club, St. Andrew.
