Sugar Cane was a Eurodisco group with Latin disco and Caribbean musical style. They had several singles released in the late 1970s. They found greater success with their version of the Bobby Bloom hit "Montego Bay" which is what the group is more likely to be remembered for.

Background The lineup included Reggie Tsiboe and Linda Taylor.Futureworld Boney M - REGGIE TSIBOERecord Mirror, April 21, 1979 - Page 12 Gonzalez and the big freeze Tsiboe was already a recording artist and had composed both sides of his 1974 single, "Please Don't Bring Your Sister" which was credited to Reggie Seeboe and released on Cube Records.Future World Boney M - REGGIE TSIBOEOrchard Percussion Studio - Paul Francis's Discography, Singles The single was actually reviewed by Ron McCreight for the April 27, 1974 issue of Record World. Calling it a most interesting single for many weeks, he also said that it deserved to be a world-wide smash.Record World, April 27, 1974 - Page 40 RECORD WORLD ENGLAND By RON McCREIGHT Taylor, a former housewife had been in a funk band called Sox for a period of time.Record Mirror, April 21, 1979 - Page 12 Gonzalez and the big freeze

Carroll Thompson auditioned for the group at one stage and was a backing singer.Apple Music - Carroll Thompson In an interview for the Record Collector magazine, Thompson said that frank Farian had put the group together. At the audition she met a girl who turned out to be the niece of the legendary Jamaican producer, Leonard Chin.Record Collector, Christmas 2021 - Page 68 CHILLER QUEEN[

Visually in performance and on record covers, the group was composed of three males and two females.45Cat - Record Details, Sugar Cane (Disco), Montego Baysimon taylor channel, Nov 19, 2013 - Sugar Cane Montego Bay TOTP 28 9 78

The group had good success with "Montego Bay" and followed up with their Caribbean-disco version of the Loggins and Messina song "Valhevala".Billboard, March 3, 1979 - Page 120 International, From The Music Capitals Of The World, LONDON This was also the first success that Linda Taylor encountered in her career.Record Mirror, April 21, 1979 - Page 12 Gonzalez and the big freeze

Career A single "Coconut-Party" bw "Chilly Chilly Boo Boo" credited to the group was released on EMI 006-32 426 in October 1977.Ultratop - Sugar Cane – Coconut-Party Both sides were composed by Ben Juris and Benny Lux. Juris handled the arrangements of both sides.hitparade.ch - Sugar Cane – Coconut-Party45Cat - Sugar Cane – Coconut-Party

"Montego Bay" The group recorded their version of the Bobby Bloom hit, "Montego Bay". It was produced by P. Bellotte and released on Ariola 7716.Record World, August 19, 1978 - Page 22 RECORD WORLD SINGLE PICKS, SUGAR CANE-Ariola 7716 John Wishart gave the song a very good review in the August 12 issue of Record Mirror with Wishart saying that "Montego Bay" was such a good song that it could withstand any treatment. He said that in some ways it was an improvement on Bobby Bloom's 1970 hit and it was nice to hear men and women sharing vocals for a change.Record Mirror, August 12, 1978 - Page 8 SINGLES Reviewed by JOHN WISHART SUGAR CANE: 'Montego Bay' Their single was also reviewed in the August 19 issue of Record World. A Single Pick, the Latin disco element was called a perfect fit and the fitting together of the harmony vocals with the smooth instrumentation were noted.Record World, August 19, 1978 - Page 22 RECORD WORLD SINGLE PICKS, SUGAR CANE-Ariola 7716 The August 19 issue of Music Week showed that the single was an ad on at Radio Orwell in Ipswich and Pat Gibson of Radio Blackburn had it as a hit pick.Music Week, August 19, 1978 - Page 26 AIRPLAY ACTION, Radio Orwell ADD ONS & BBC Blackburn, HIT PICKS

According to the September 2 issue of Music Week, the single was now a breaker.Music Week, September 2, 1978 - Page 6 BREAKERS It was also an add on at Beacon Radio in Wolverhampton.Music Week, September 2, 1978 - Page 27 DEALER GUIDE TO AIRPLAY ACTION, Beacon Radio It was getting played in the US. It was shown by Cash Box in the September 9 issue that it was an add on at KDKO in Denver.Cash Box, September 9, 1978 - Page 48 BLACK RADIO HIGHLIGHTS, KDKO - DENVER, ADDS: Sugar Cane, Gino Vannelli, Little River Band, David Gates.

Sugar Cane appeared on Top of the Pops which was aired on 28 September. Other acts to appear on that same episode included Third World with "Now That We've Found Love", Lindisfarne with "Juke Box Gypsy" and Frankie Miller with "Darlin’".tvdb - Top of the Pops / Aired Order / Season 15 / Episode 38, 28th September 1978

Now in the charts and a hit, it had moved from no. 43 to no. 32 on the UK Disco Top 90 for the week of September 30, 1978.James Hamilton's Disco Page, September 30, 1978 - UK Disco Top 90 – September 30, 1978, 2 43 Sugar Cane – Montego Bay – Ariola Hansa 7″/12″ On the week of October 13 it debuted at no. 75 in the Radio & Record News National Top Singles chart.Radio & Record News, Friday October 13, 1978 - Page 41 W/E OCTOBER 13 1978 NATIONAL TOP 100 SINGLES, This Week 75, Last Week _ It also did the same in the Independent Record National Top 100 Singles chart.Radio & Record News, Friday October 13, 1978 - Page 23 THE INDEPENDENT RECORD CHART NATIONAL TOP 100 SINGLES, This Week 75, Last Week _ It was also on the Swansea Sound 257 playlist,Radio & Record News, Friday October 13, 1978 - PLAYLIST, Swansea sound 257 Week commencing 8 October Swansea Sound Playlist the 208 Top 40 playlist, the Big L Disco Dozen playlist, the Radio Tees playlist,Radio & Record News, Friday October 13, 1978 - Page 42 PLAYLISTS the Capital Radio 194 playlist, the Piccadilly 261 playlist, the Radio Clyde playlist, the Radio Trent playlist, and the 194 Radio Forth playlist.Radio & Record News, Friday October 13, 1978 - Page 46 PLAYLISTS The following week it had dropped down to no 77 on both the Radio & Record News National Top Singles and Independent Record National Top 100 Singles charts.Radio & Record News, Friday October 20, 1978 - Page 73 W/E OCTOBER 20 1978 NATIONAL TOP 100 SINGLES, This Week 77, Last Week 75Radio & Record News, Friday October 20, 1978 - THE INDEPENDENT RECORD CHART NATIONAL TOP 100 SINGLES, This Week 77, Last Week 75

It peaked at no. 13 on the Music Week Disco Top 40 chart on the week of October 21.Music Week, October 21, 1978 - Page 51 CHARTS, DISCO TOP 40, 13, (19)Music Week, October 28, 1978 - Page 49 CHARTS, DISCO TOP 40, 22, (13) It would spend five weeks on the main UK chart, peaking at no. 54.Official Charts - MONTEGO BAY SUGAR CANE It was still in the Music Week Disco Top 40 chart at no. 36 on the week of November 18.Music Week, November 18, 1978 - Page 46 CHARTS PERFORMANCE, DISCO TOP 40, 36, (28) The single had also been released in Italy on Dig It DG 1182.45Cat - Sugar Cane (Disco) - Discography, Italy It became a dance hit for them there and for the week of February 17, 1979, it was at no. 19.Hit Parade Italia - Dance Chart, Settimana del 17 Febbraio 1979, ( da Discoteche dell'Associazione Italiana Disck Jockey ), 19

Further activities

They recorded the Loggins & Messina song "Vahevala" but the single was mis-spelt as "Valhevala".Music Week, February 24, 1979 - Page 31 MUSIC WEEK FACT SHEETS COMPILED BY TONY JASPER, SINGLESSong Facts - Vahevala by Loggins and MessinaDutch Charts - SUGAR CANE - VALHEVALA Backed with the Geoff Bastow, Keith Forsey, Pete Bellotte composition "Too Bad It Ain't Good",Celebri - Sugar Cane, Valhevala / Too Bad It Ain't Good it was released on Ariola AHA 533 on February 2, 1979.Music Week, February 24, 1979 - Page 31 MUSIC WEEK FACT SHEETS COMPILED BY TONY JASPER, SINGLES It was reviewed in the March 9 issue of Radio & Record News. The song had been covered by many artists but had never been a hit and it kept popping up from time to time. The reviewer said it could do the same as the previous record, but was guarded in predicting success.Radio & Record News, Friday March 9, 1979 - Page 32 SINGLE REVIEWS, SUGAR CANE Valhevala There was to be expected interest following their previous hit. Tony Jasper commented in the February 24 issue of Music Week that the Caribbean disco number with its light and bright feel with the vocals and instrumentation, it should do well on afternoon programs and there could be a brief chart outing.Music Week, February 24, 1979 - Page 31 MUSIC WEEK FACT SHEETS COMPILED BY TONY JASPER, SINGLES

It was reported by Music Week that "Valhevala" was added to the playlist of Radio Victory in Portsmouth.Music Week, February 17, 1979 - Page 26 AIRPLAY ACTION, Radio Victory PORTSMOUTH, ADD ONS Their single was now doing well on air. It was reported in the February 24, 1979 issue of Music Week that it was a hit pick on Radio Forth in Edinburgh,Music Week, February 24, 1979 - Page 25 DEALER GUIDE TO AIRPLASY ACTION, Radio Forth EDINBURGH, HIT PICKS Swansea Sound in Swansea, BBC ScotlandMusic Week, February 24, 1979 - Page 28 Swansea Sound, SWANSEA, HIT PICKS, BBC Scotland, HIT PICKS The record had been released in Australia that month on RCA Victor 103247.45Cat - Sugar Cane (Disco) - Discography

As of September, 1979, the group was still on the Ariola / Hansa artist roster.Music Week, September 15, 1979 - Page 12 ARIOLA ADVERTORIAL, ARTIST ROSTER, Ariola/Hansa

Later years Linda Taylor would become a member of the disco group Gonzales,Record World, September 6, 1980 - Page 12 Record World Single Picks, B.O.S./Pop, GONZALEZ-Capitol 4921 FELL IN LOVE (prod. by G. & R. Jones) and record as a solo artist having hits with "You and Me Just Started"Billboard, September 4, 1982 - Page 48 Billboard Dance/ Disco Top 80, This Week 20, Last Week 13, Weeks on Chart 12 and "Every Waking Hour".Music Week, 31 January, 1987 - Page 11 TOP Dance SINGLES, This Week 71, NEW Reggie Tsiboe would later join Boney M in 1982.Who Sampled - Reggie TsiboeDr Who Guide - Reginald Tsiboe Later he would find work as an actor.ShowBizz Site.be - Bio Reggie Tsiboe

Discography + Singles Act Release Catalogue Year Notes Sugar Cane "Coconut Party" / " Chilly Chilly Boo Boo"EMI 006-32 426 1977 Ultratop - Sugar Cane – Coconut-Party Sugar Cane "Montego Bay" / "Topsy Turvy" Hansa 15764 AT 1978 Amazon.de - Montego bay / Topsy Turvy / 15764 AT Sugar Cane "Valhevala" / "Too Bad It Ain't Good" Hansa International 100 445 1979 Amazon.de - Sugar Cane - Valhevala / Too Bad It Ain't Good - Hansa International - 100 445, Hansa International - 100 445-100

+ Various artists compilation appearances Title Track Catalogue Year Notes Super Disco Party 2 "Montego Bay" Hansa 200 210–320 1978 album chart nl Peak: 18 / weeks: 7 Disco Night Fever "Montego Bay" Hallo RTL 38 141 8 1978 20 Giganten Vol. 2 "Montego Bay" Hansa 200 257–351 1978 Disco Disco "Montego Bay" K-Tel BLP 7901 1979 It's My Discothek Vol. 3 "Montego Bay" Hansa 200 445–351 1979 Italian Charts - SUGAR CANE - MONTEGO BAY (SONG), AVAILABLE ON FOLLOWING MEDIA

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