This record Tell Them by Roy Alton is regarded as the first soca single in the UK. It is taken from the album Carnival In Ladbroke Grove, which sold thousands of copies in the U.K, Europe and the USA. This record paved the way for the soca music industry in the U.K and is regarded as iconic by soca music enthusiast and D.J’s. The single is available on all digital platforms https://music.apple.com/gb/album/tell-them-single/1639567337s
Roy Alton born in Dominica W.I, regarded as the UK's first soca artist
Sonny recorded Roy Alton’s first Soca album in 1975, of which brought the attention of Rawlston Charles; owner of Charlie’s Records in Brooklyn, New York U.S.A
Charlie from Charlies Records in NYC and Sonny ventured into business in the late 70’s by licensing and distributing Soca music in the U.K. Charlie gave Sonny the rights to distribute and license popular Soca hits on the Sun Burst label below.
Sugar Bum Bum - Lord Kitchener
Gimme De Ting - Lord Kitchener
Lorraine – Explainer
Hot Hot Hot – Arrow - 1st Release
Too Young To Soca – Machel Montano
Gi Mi More – Chevi
​ In the mid 1970’s, Sonny heavily promoted soca music, which eventually became popular in the U.K and Jamaica by licensing and distributing records from Charlie’s on his own label called Sun Burst. Sonny also produced his own soca records which were also on the Sun Burn label, some became soca hit records in the U.K
Sonny pictured in 1989 with artist Arrow who sang the soca hit record Hot Hot Hot
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A selection of Soca records
licensed and produced by Sonny Roberts
Hot Hot Hot – Arrow (1st release in 1982)
Sugar Bum Bum – Lord Kitchener
Gipsy Love – Belinda Parker
Gimme Di Ting – Lord Kitchener
Lorraine – Explainer
Tell Them – Roy Alton
Darling Cool It – Asterisk
If You Want Me – Roy Alton
Leggo Leggo – Roy Alton
My Mistake – Roy Alton
Soca Up The Party – The Might Swallow
The Storm - Shadow
Born Jamaican – The Astronaughts
Gi Mi More – Chevi
Kuchi Gadbad Hai – Kanchan
Pretty Island – The Astronaughts
Rosalie – Chevi
Soca Train - Spiking
In the 1980’s Sonny promoted soca music in Jamaica, which eventually became popular in the U.K and Jamaica by distributing records on the Thunder Bolt label. Sonny distributed the album Born Jamaican by The Astronaughts, and a few other singles; they were signed to Neville Lee of Sonic Sounds. Sonny also produced his own soca records on the Sun Burn label, some of these records became soca hits in the U.K
We would like to thanks the late Cecil Wilson of RJR Radio Station, who played an integral part in promoting soca music in Jamaica. Cecil and Sonny persuaded Jamaican radio DJ’s to play soca music on the airwaves, especially the late Neville Willoughby. Back then, even though the likes of Byron Lee and the Dragonaires were recording and playing calypso, it was the upbeat rhythm of soca that inspired them to produce the soca hit record Tiney Winey.
