UB40 in San Diego

UB40 are a British reggae band formed in Birmingham in 1978. Their reggae-pop sound, rooted in dub and ska, became widely known through songs including “Food for Thought,” “Red Red Wine,” “Kingston Town” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” as well as the covers album Labour of Love. UB40 played their first concert at the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath in 1979. A support tour with the Pretenders followed in 1980 and brought the group into larger British venues. They later performed at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in 1985 and returned there for Nelson Mandela’s 70th Birthday Tribute in 1988.

Gramps Morgan is a Jamaican-American singer and songwriter, born in Brooklyn in 1976, who performs roots reggae, soul and country-inflected music. He is a vocalist and keyboardist in the family band Morgan Heritage and has also released solo albums including Two Sides of My Heart Vol. 1 and Positive Vibration. His best-known solo songs include “Wash the Tears” and “People Like You”; Positive Vibration received the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. Gramps Morgan spent decades touring internationally as a lead vocalist and keyboardist with Morgan Heritage, performing the group’s roots-reggae catalogue in theatres and at festivals. His solo work took him into country-music settings as well: in 2021 he made his Grand Ole Opry debut in Nashville, reflecting the country strand heard on Positive Vibration.