
United Front
Winsome I am sure came out of her mother’s womb singing as she sings constantly even replies to a question with a song.
At the tender age of six Winsome remember participating in her school primary school production to Eye Level from the Van der Vaulk movie. She also danced to I can see clearly now by Johnny Nash.
She continued singing and dancing in school productions throughout her school life. She would be seen constantly holding a brush at break time pretending to be an artist on Top of the pops back in the 70’s.
Winsome greatest influences are from the reggae genre and are Marcia Griffiths, Carroll Thompson and Louisa Marks, she also adores Whitney Houston, Mary J Blige and Keisha Cole
She entered a few talent competitions in Birmingham where she hails from received a recording contract at 17 after winning a singing competition at The Rialto Night Club in Handsworth.
She was later introduced to Mr laurel Aitkin’s the ska legend from the sixties well known for the tune “ Guilty of loving you” Michelle Sutherland and Winsome formed a duo called Sugar and Spice and recorded their first tune called Sweet Loving for Mr Aitkins which reached No 2 in the Black Echoes reggae charts. Sugar and Spice enjoyed success and was touring nationally and performing regularly.
Some of Winsome’s fondest moments are as follows:-
- Having Carol Thompson one of her favourites and the great Ruby Turner from Birmingham judge her at the competition that she won in Birmingham back in 1981
- Backing and supporting Judy Boucher at the London Palladium singer of the great No 1 “I can’t be with you tonight”
- Supporting and backing the great Louisa Marks at the Hummingbird Night Club in Birmingham
- Performing at the Indigo 02 in Greenwich on the Giants of Lover Rock in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and performing with the late and great Frankie Paul
- Performing at the annual Legends of Legends in Birmingham March 2017 and March 2019
- Having a launch for her single, a video and photo shoot all in one day for “Hurting Me” courtesy of her manager Macky McPherson
- Supporting Lukie D at the drum in Birmingham, Lieutenant Stitchie at the Hootenanny in Brixton, Errol Dunkley in Luton, Richie Stephens in Jamaica and Singing Melody in Manchester.
- Singing at the Every Child Matter’s in the Caribbean Conference in Jamaica 2017, 2018 and 2019
- Having all her friends and grandchildren dance in the Up Town Top Rankin video
- Singing in Portugal 2018 and 2019
- Winning the Praise Tek Gospel Music Award for Gospel Reggae 2019
- Family Love album been nominated for Best Album of the year 2019 at ASWL Awards
- Duet with Papa Crooks ”I’ve got you babes” fantastic amount of views within one week 400, 000 views with beautiful accompanying comments related to love, peace and unity.
- Her packed out evening called Winsome and Friends at Upstairs at The Ritzy Brixton 2019
- Having her two songs at the number one slot in the Stevie Jay Chart show ‘Can’t Get Over You’ and ‘I’ve Got faith’ in 2019
- Dancing the Electric Boogie on stage with her queen of reggae music Marcia Griffith aboard the Jamrock cruise 2019 and her tour in the UK 2020
- Being called on stage by Marcia Griffiths to sing with her at the Hyde Away Streatham 5.03.2020 so honoured and shell shocked.
Winsome decided to move to London in 1984 to seek her fortune and went on to higher education at the London Southbank University. She officially joined the loversrock Battersea based band Family Love in 1985 founded by band leader Lloyd Heron, the band gave you hits like Anniversary and Decisions. Winsome left the band in 1990 to start a family. The band decided to reform in 2015 and Winsome released “Tell me why”
Family Love band featuring Winsome Moncrieffe-Mitchell released “Hurting Me” on the 2nd April 2015 which has received some great reviews e.g. A woman can relate to the lyrics, Sounds like the real old time loversrock, Great original
Family Love completed their 2nd album called Family Love Collection Revisited produced by Gary Digitec and launched the album on the 14th July 2018 at the Hootenanny in Brixton, which Winsome features on the track, The Answer is No, Stay with me, Embrace, Apology, One night stand, I do and Tell me why?
Winsome feels that she sings for women over thirty who have experienced life and can relate to what she sings about. She is currently enjoying working with some great London based producers like Gary Digitec who produced I’ve Got Faith, Wildfire, Send Me., Up Town Top Rankin and The Loversrock Tribute. She released a single called “Something About You” produced by Derek Fevrier and I Love you Lord on the UK Pressure Label paying tribute to the late and great Jean Adebumbo on the Paradise rhythm. She has also worked with Jamaica’s award winning Computer Paul in Jamaica on a single yet to be released
Winsome has combination songs with Frederica Tibbs her long term singing partner of over 35 years a cover version of Up Town Top Rankin and a Loversrock tribute to UK artists.
Winsome is a strong believer in God and gives thanks daily that she is able to sing and go about her everyday life as she experienced a mini stroke on the 1st August 2014 and has had a wake up call to what could have been.
Winsome regularly sings at Weddings, Christenings, Birthday Parties and funerals. She has sang at a variety of charity events to assist in raising funds e.g. Grenfell, Let’s make Dominica Green Again, Every Child Matters in the Caribbean, Cancer Awareness, Mental Health Awareness and helped to raise funding for a day room for Stroke Victims at the Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham. Most recently the Hootenanny fund raiser 2020.
Winsome is a qualified careers advisor with over 30 years of experience, she enjoys working with young people who are under achieving and are not maximising their full potentials, she sometimes organises workshops or events via performing productions to help increase their motivation and raise their aspirations. She currently works with children in care.
She resides in London with her four children and feels she will continue to sing and dance until there is no life left in her. She often says life is for living, we have one life to live so I am going to live it by loving the life I live and living the life I love. Her favourite lyric by Bob Marley is “one good thing about music when it hits you feel no pain” and that music is her anti-depressant to life.
She is currently living her best life and working on her solo album soon to be released this year.