LAUDERHILL – Friends of Winston Dias braved torrential rain on June 20 to attend an event at Carib Island Restaurant in Lauderhill. The event celebrated his contribution to reggae in South Florida.
Dias, a Jamaican singer and promoter, helped jumpstart the live reggae scene in that region. He was proprietor of the Classic and Razor’s Palace clubs during the 1980s and 1990s.
Accompanied by his wife Kathleen, son Otis, daughter Georgia and their grandchildren, Dias basked in the warmth of the audience which included Broward County commissioners Hazelle Rogers and John ‘John T’ Hodgson.
“It was beautiful, very, very nice. There was a lot of rain but we still got a full house, which shows people think I deserve it,” he said.
Also attending was Barrington Barnes, Dias’ childhood friend from Jamaica, who also lives in Florida. Clovis Forde, who helped organize the show, and singer Audley Rollen, were also present.
Rollen, another mainstay of the South Florida reggae scene, also presented Dias with a personal award to mark his accomplishments.
Live Performance by Dias
Dias performed some of his songs, including “Cericy Tea.” Prince Buster produced it in the early 1960s. He also performed covers of “Let’s Keep It That Way,” “She’s Gone Again,” and “My Elusive Dream.” He dedicated these songs to his wife.
Classic opened in the city of Sunrise in 1985, shortly after Dias and his family moved to South Florida from Canada. That venue was active for five years. In that time, it hosted Jamaican artists such as Ken Boothe, Screwdriver, Tyrone Taylor and The Melodians.
American soul acts including Billy Paul and Curtis Mayfield also performed at Classic.
Razor’s Palace was owned by Jamaican-Canadian boxer Donovan “Razor” Ruddock, who fought Mike Tyson twice during the early 1990s. Located along U.S. Route 441 in Broward County, it hosted artists such as Sugar Minott, Cynthia Schloss, Delroy Wilson and The Drifters.
In addition to his solo work, Dias toured and recorded with The Drifters and The Melodians.
