Johnny Osbourne ADD
Johnny Osbourne Teams Up With Tarrus Riley & Dean Fraser - We Need Love
08/01/2025 by Press Release
Make a joyful noise! Living legend Johnny Osbourne and soulful, roots reggae icon Tarrus Riley team up on We Need Love, a contemporary collaborative reimagining of one of Johnny’s most well-known, album-only tracks from his 1979 critically acclaimed Studio One album Truth & Rights. This inspired, new take on a reggae revival classic will be available on all digital and streaming platforms on the 1st of August 2025. This will be the first taster shared from Johnny Osbourne’s forthcoming album Universal Love Showcase, due for release by VP Records on the 29th of August 2025. LISTEN TO WE NEED LOVE HERE!
The first iteration of this foundation riddim is Otis Gayle's incredible reggae cover of The Spinners' “I’ll Be Around”, an essential 1972 Soul cut produced by Thom Bell, a key instigator of the Sound of Philadelphia. Backed by The Sound Dimension (watch out for Jackie Mittoo’s epic organ solo), Gayle’s revered cover version has been sought after by collectors since its original release on the famed Studio One imprint in 1972, a cornerstone of the Jamaican recording industry founded by Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd. “I’ll Be Around” quickly became a power play for selectors on Kingston’s soundsystem circuit and soon caught the attention of a young singer by the name of Johnny Osbourne.
Shortly after returning to Jamaica from an extended stay in Canada, Osbourne fulfilled his dream of recording as a solo artist at Studio One, ‘The Motown Of Jamaica’. When presented with a choice of riddims recorded at the legendary studio for his 1979 album Truth & Rights, he opted for the version of I’ll Be Around to write to, crafting a completely new song which became We Need Love.
Now, in 2025, this new version continues the story and stays true to Osbourne’s first cut. Uplifting and spiritual in equal measure, We Need Love captures Osbourne and Riley in fine form, delivering a wholly unique interpretation, stylistically, structurally and rhythmically, ensuring that this “handclapping, foot-stomping music” lives on forevermore.
We Need Love is produced by Frenchie, the highly respected producer from Maximum Sound, whose previous productions with VP Records and Greensleeves include Luciano's United States Of Africa and Anthony B’s Black Star amongst many other crucial works. The modern Jamaican dubmaster Gregory Morris lends his ear too, sonically shaping this new version with his deft touch on the mixing desk controls. Dean Fraser, the seasoned band leader, arranger, saxophonist and titan of reggae music, is also featured on the recording. Fraser steps out with an impassioned performance, culminating in a magnificent solo, paying homage to the original reggae cut and updating it further from Chronixx’s more recent cut on the riddim, 2016’s “Majesty” from his impeccable Roots & Chalice Mixtape.
About Johnny Osbourne
Affectionately known as ‘The Dancehall Godfather’, Osbourne’s career has spanned nearly six decades. As a graduate from the celebrated Alpha Boys’ School, he was a firsthand observer of Jamaica’s musical transformation, living through the emergence of reggae, the rise of dancehall, and the shift into the digital era, consistently contributing fresh, original work along the way, working with producers such as Winston ‘Techniques’ Riley, King Jammy, Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes, Linval Thompson, Bobby ‘Digital B’ Dixon and many more. Still fully active in 2025, Osbourne has never sounded better and shows no signs of slowing down, continuing to record and tour extensively around the world, retaining his pre-eminent position in reggae and dancehall history.
