Looking Back Tuesday! 04/05/2016
The Messengers Band also known as The Message.
One of the best Belize bands which was created at Johnny’s Club, Yarborough in 1965. The Messengers were a fixture at the Flamingo Room, upstairs the Will Wiley ice cream parlor near the bridge on new Road approaching from Queen St. (Will Wiley was also the sponsor of the Will Wiley Cobras basketball team which showcased several of the best football players at the time). During the mid-sixties (965-1967) this popular band was known for belting out some of the most popular Soul, Latin, Funk Jazz and Reggae songs at the time.
I was not old enough at the time to attend their dances but was privileged to hear their soulful sounds while enjoying my ice cream downstairs at the parlor with friends. Furthermore I was privileged to listen to some of their practice sessions at Yarborough. As a young boy attending Wesley College, some days after school I would go hang out with the older fellas who knew me from early childhood because of my older brothers. They all used to hang out at the Original Plum Tree just over South Street Bridge not far from my house. Later, after hurricane Hattie many of them started hanging out at Yarborough. Those were the days when the elders looked out for the youths. Sometimes they would let me know it’s time to go home to do some homework. I can hear Johnny Moss now, “It’s that time Coby”. Beautiful memories. As a young lover of jazz my favorites were The Sidewinder and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy. There was an audience who showed up outside on the streets just to listen to the sounds.
The photo (taken March 9, 1966) was given to me by the last surviving member of the band Vincent “Winty J” Johnson who is a longtime friend. Winty J also said that a Messengers CD will be coming soon!!
