When he recorded the song Dutty Wine on a sofa in his apartment in early 2006, veteran selector Tony Matterhorn said he knew immediately that the song would have been a hit. However, he never expected it to have reached the heights that it went.
Last Friday, Dutty Wine was certified silver in the United Kingdom by the British Phonographic Industry after it surpassed over 200,000 units in sales and streaming equivalents. It is the first certification for the song that was released 19 years ago.
In an interview with the Jamaica Observer on Friday, Tony Matterhorn (real name Dufton Taylor) said that the song, was a game changer for him as it opened many doors for his career.
“I knew that the song was going to be a hit, but I never expected it to become the magnitude that it became. I was surprised when it took off on urban radio in America and was eventually played on major pop stations like
Z100 in New York,” said Tony Matterhorn.
“The feeling is great, knowing that the numbers a show; and numbers don’t lie. Dutty Wine has continued to consistently grow after almost two decades and wi feel good about that,” said the iconic sound system selector.
According to Tony Matterhorn, Dutty Wine was inspired by the dance crew Attitude Girls from Montego Bay. In fact, Meritol Family had recorded a different song with the name Dutty Wine before Tony Matterhorn’s own version was released.
“When I was playing at Wacky Wednesdays in Montego Bay, Meritol had a song called Dutty Wine. Supa Hype [Stephen Davis] came to me with a rhythm that was built by Serani and I was by my apartment in Kingston with some friends, including Busy Signal and Ding Dong, and some girls who played netball came by and we were just there vibing while I was listening to the rhythm trying to come up with a song for [it] and the words started to come. Dutty Wine was voiced in my apartment on my sofa with a handheld mic. After Ding Dong and everybody left the verses started to come. So while the girls were there dancing, I was building the chorus for the song,” Tony Matterhornrecalled.
The rhythm also featured Baby U by Alaine, as well as songs by Busy Signal, Vybz Kartel, T.O.K, Wayne Marshall, Aisha, Mavado, Roundhead, among others.
Said Tony Matterhorn: “There have been so many Dutty Wine moments over the years. People were being taught how to do the dance, then there was this dancer who appeared on Tyra Banks’ show and she did the dance, but what surprised me was when the song was played on Z100 in New York. That is a pop radio station that hardly plays reggae or dancehall, and when it was being played my phone was ringing off the hook from people in New York calling to tell me about what was happening.”
Tony Matterhorn, now in his early 50s, said the song’s success has taken him to audiences never thought of before.
“The success of Dutty Wine really let me go around the world to some places that I have been before… I was performing as a selector and as an artiste at some major festivals. It also expanded doors that previously were not open,” he shared.
Dutty Wine peaked at #31 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart and #17 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart. Locally, it spent 10 weeks at #1 on the RE-TV Top 20 chart.
After the success of Dutty Wine, Tony Matterhorn followed up with Goodas Fi Dem, produced by Natural Bridge Records. It also topped local charts.
Tony Matterhorn, who worked on sounds including Inner City Sound and King Addies in Brooklyn, New York, has won several sound clashes through the years.
