Clinton Fearon has produced potent roots reggae since the late 1960s. Courtesy photo

Renowned Jamaican reggae legend Clinton Fearon released the first single, “Sleepwalking,” from his upcoming “Jah is Love” album in early March.

Producing potent roots reggae since the late 1960s, Fearon’s “Sleepwalking” touched on social issues and raised questions about whether people are awake to world events. A video released with the song shows people walking like robots while staring at their phones.

Daily Reggae noted: “The reggae icon has released another gem motivating us to come together for the greater good,” while the World A Reggae said, “the song is a call to wake up.”

“Earth is crying out for attention,” he sang. “Are you ready? We need real change, To make things better, For all mankind, Including Mother Earth.”

“‘Sleepwalking’ was written in January 2024, but the idea been rocking my brain way before then,” Fearon explained. “Observing the political situation from all sides, it became obvious to me that the people in power are just too busy protecting their money and taking revenge with no care for democracy, humanity and integrity. And it’s like we are sleeping while all this is happening.”

Making his Maui debut, Fearon performs at Mulligan’s on the Blue on May 30.

Growing up in the rural St. Andrew district of Jamaica, he sang in his Adventist Church choir. “All during this time still as a kid growing up I would love music, you know like really love it,” he told Reggae Vibes.

Moving to Kingston, as a teen he was influenced by Motown soul records and songs by gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and ska by The Skatalites. Invited to join The Gladiators, he first performed on their local hits ‘Freedom Train’ and ‘Rock A Man Soul,” singing and playing bass guitar.

One of Jamaica’s great vocal groups, he was a member of The Gladiators for 18 years. “It was an era when people loved harmony groups,” he told the UK’s Reggaezone. “After Bob died, the music took a turn and dancehall spring up. Start to cost a lot to do a session after the economy got bad and new recording come in and people realize that they can do recordings for less even though the quality is very poor.”

Often hired as a session musician on many records for legendary Jamaican producers Coxone Dodd at Studio One and Lee Perry at Black Ark, he became known as one of the best bass players in reggae.

“Most time, I come with a bass line myself,” he recalled. “We’d play live behind the vocalist. Oftentimes we would do the tune in one cut. When I just start playing in the early 70’s, I started out getting $10 per song. And as time goes by, it steps up to 20 bucks.”

Performing in Kingston studios, he met Bob Marley. “I met Bob a few times,” he recalled. “I was always very impressed with his music and his delivery. The vibe was real. You could tell that it was coming from his heart and soul.”

Producing great reggae for more than 50 years, his solo albums include “Disturb the Devil,” “Mystic Whisper,” “Survival Vibration” and “Breaking News.”

In recent times, he has focused on spreading messages of peace and unity through his music, touching on both his Jamaican roots and global experiences. “We’ve been pushed around and we’ve been pulled around so much and so enveloped by the system that we don’t know what’s going on,,” he told Reggae Vibes. “We forget that we have another self. There’s a spiritual self that we don’t tap into anymore, and don’t even learn that we have a spiritual self.”

Fearon will perform at Mulligans on the Blue at 7 p.m. May 30. Premium table seating for 6 is available at $30 per person, and $25 per person for window table seating. Upper bar seats are $20 and general admission is $20 a seat.