Gene Rondo – Rebel Woman B/W Rebel Woman (Horns Version) 7''

Lovely classic tune

Winston Lara, known by his stage name Gene Rondo, was a prominent Jamaican reggae singer born on May 28, 1943, in Greenwich Farm, Kingston, Jamaica. His musical journey began in the late 1950s, when he competed successfully in the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour talent contest alongside his partner Satch. This early success led to the formation of the duo Gene & Roy, and their notable single "Little Queenie"/"Squeeze Me" in Jamaica.

In 1962, Rondo moved to #London, where he pursued classical singing studies in Hammersmith. By 1965, he had formed the band Abashack, which toured the UK. His career progressed with recordings for Stamford Hill-based R&B Records' Giant and Jolly labels in 1968. The following year, he began recording for Dandy Livingstone's #Trojan Records sub-label #Downtown, producing several singles in 1969 and 1970.

Rondo's debut album, "On My Way," was released in 1970 under TrojanRecords. In 1972, he founded the pop-reggae band The Undivided, which eventually evolved into Undivided Roots. They released the album "Listen to the World" with Decca. During this period, Rondo also recorded as a solo artist for various UK-based producers such as Clement Bushay, Dennis Harris, and Count Shelly. Notably, he accompanied Susan Cadogan for her "Hurt So Good" performance on Top of the Pops.

In the mid-1970s, Rondo embraced the Rastafari faith, which influenced his music towards a more roots-oriented style. Tracks like "A Land Far Away" and "Give All the Praise to Jah" marked this transition. He co-produced Delroy Wilson's "Nice Times" album in 1983 and provided backing vocals for AltonEllis's "25th Silver Jubilee" album in 1984.

Beyond his music career, Rondo was dedicated to community work. He established the Roots Pool community centre and studio in North London and was a significant contributor to the British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal (BRAFA). The charity single "Let's Make Africa Green Again" raised funds for the Save the Children Fund.

Gene Rondo continued to influence the reggae scene until his death from cancer on June 12, 1994, at St Josephs Hospice in Hackney. His legacy lives on through his contributions to reggae music and his community efforts. -Irie Soldiers

Gene Rondo 
Born 28/5/1943 Died 12/6/1994

Gene Rondo – Rebel Woman B/W Rebel Woman (Horns Version)

Label: Queen Bee – QB 4
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1974
Genre: Reggae

Source: Digital

A Gene Rondo - Rebel Woman 2:51
B Third World All Stars - Rebel Woman (Horns Version)* 3:18

*Taken from the 1975 album REBEL ROCK on Third World. Originally released the same year on the white label album DUB FESTIVAL. This is a fantastic piece of Jamaican jazz reggae and is a cut to Gene Rondo's REBEL WOMAN.