Norris Reid was born in Falmouth, Jamaica. In 1975 he recorded his debut single called “I Know”, often also credited to the Blenders. Around that time Norris worked in a shop building stereo cases. Followed a single called “Poverty” on a label called The Ram owned by some Errol Cuffe; and later a single called “Got To Return”. Norris also worked as graphic designer, drawing record labels and flyers for sound systems. Soon he met Carlton Hines, member of the Tetrack, that linked him to Augustus Pablo. The result was a single called “Give Jah the Praise” based on the Abyssinians “Satta Massagana” (1979). Twenty years later their collaborations were released as an album with the same name. The set contained a great hit called “Entrance of Jah World”, probably the second single cut for Pablo. Norris did also some backing vocals for Hugh Mundell’s “Time & Place” set and worked with Delroy Williams too. He later sung with the Viceroys when they were formed by Neville Ingram and Wesley Tinglin cutting the hit called “Heart Made of Stone” plus two other singles. With them he also worked on the “We Must Unite” album.
After the Viceroys he worked at Channel One over some rhythms played by the Roots Rock Band (later renamed Roots Radics), but apperently anything was released. Tired of the Jamaican scene, Norris moved to Pittsburgh (U.S.A.) in 1985. There he sung with a band formed by Jamaicans called SWAMMP (Sound Wisdom And Many Musical Powers). No recordings were made. False rumors about his demise started to spread around 1992. He was not. The present official set “Roots & Vine” collects material cut in 1980 and the following years. The set was cut at Channel One and Tuff Gong, engineered by Scientist, Trunny Palmer and Soljie Hamilton, and produced by Augustus Pablo. The personnel is Sly Dunbar and Anthony “Benbow” Creary (drums), Robbie Shakespeare and Christopher Meredith (bass), Fazal Prendergast and Leebert “Gibby” Morrison (rhythm guitar), Earl “Chinna” Smith and Andy Bassford (lead guitar), Augustus Pablo (piano and strings), “Armyman”, T. Reid and Chico Hamilton (Junior Chin) (horns). This set presents some very interesting early 80’s Roots. There is no Dancehall / Junjo Lawes kind of atmosphere here. Even if the golden decade is already over and the general mood is pretty early 80’s, as it can be confirmed by the Sly & Robbie approach; it is clear that Norris belongs to the previous era
