OLDIES SUNDAY: Ambelique – Penny Lover (1997)

Welcome to February. We kick off Reggae Month, celebrate the birthday of the late Dennis Brown, recognize Black History Month, and celebrate love. It’s “Oldies Sunday“, and before we start off, we salute the late Sly Dunbar known to many from the Production duo Sly & Robbie who passed away on January 26. Today’s selection is all about love and remembering the greats. We go back in time to check out “Penny Lover” by Ambelique.

Produced by Sly & Robbie and released through the Taxi label in 1997, it’s all about a deep desire for that special someone in Ambelique’s “Penny Lover”. The track is a Reggae cover of US Singer Lionel Richie’s 1984 hit single, and Ambelique does it justice with his unique vocals, pulling in the listener who is focused on love. Sly & Robbie’s top tier production adds well to the powerful track, and it became a hit for listeners. “Penny Lover” was featured on the 1997 album, “Sings The Classics“, and was included in a number of Sly & Robbie projects following including the GRAMMY Award-winning “Friends” album.

Since “Penny Lover”, Ambelique continued to release more music. He is still active, and in 2024 he released the album “Blind Spot“. Though “Penny Lover” is a cover, it’s still loved by many around the world.