Lynval Golding

Lynval Golding (born 24 July 1951) is a Jamaican-born British musician. His family moved from Jamaica to Gloucester, before moving to Coventry when he was eighteen. He is currently living in Gig Harbor, Washington. He is best known as a rhythm guitarist and vocalist with the British 2-tone band, the Specials.

He went on to co-found Fun Boy Three with Terry Hall and Neville Staple., and then joined the Coventry group After Tonite. He was also in the short-lived group Pauline Black With Sunday Best, which also included Neville Staple and members of After Tonite.

In 1990, Golding joined former members of The Specials and The Beat to form Special Beat. He joined a reconstituted Specials lineup from 1993 to 1998.

In 2006, he toured the U.S. with The Beat, a reunion version of another second wave ska band. He started a band in Seattle, Stiff Upper Lips, and also started playing with UK group Pama International.

In 2007, he appeared live at the Glastonbury Festival on the Pyramid Stage with Lily Allen and fellow Specials / Fun Boy Three band member Terry Hall. He also played on the Park Stage, once again with Terry Hall and also Blur frontman Damon Albarn and beatboxer Shlomo, playing a version of The Specials hit "A Message To You, Rudy". These appearances led to a full-fledged Specials reunion, and Lynval remained with them until their dissolution in 2022.

Stiff Upper Lip broke up along the way, but was re-formed as Gigantor in 2013. He continues to tour with both Gigantor and Pama International.

Personal life

In 1982, Golding was stabbed in the neck in a nightclub in Coventry, leaving him in intensive care.

Discography

See also The Specials Discography, Fun Boy Three, Pama International