BIO

As with many before him, Lain was brought up in and around the church, where he played more than he sang, initially jumping on if a band member didn’t turn up for service. He penned his first song at 13 and began singing at church concerts with childhood friends (including Mark Brown of Incognito fame). After cutting his teeth on the local gospel circuit, Lain joined premier gospel outfit Nu Colours. Shortly after Lain teamed up, the group enjoyed great success through the release of their debut album “Unlimited,” which had such underground hits including “Tears,” “Greater Love,” and “What in the World.” Then came their second self-titled album, with the single “Desire,” “Special Kind of Lover,” and “Yes I Will.” After the group split, Lain began writing with Soul II Soul writer/producer Simon Law, where he honed the craft of song. It was at this point – while doing background vocals with some of his former group member for the likes of Andrea Bocelli, Tom Jones, Tina Turner, and The Lighthouse Family – Lain met Jazzie B., who at the time was working on the Soul II Soul Volume 7 album, “Time for Change.” Jazzie, who had known Lain from his time in Nu Colours, allowed him to write and be featured on the album. Through this project, Lain was introduced to Jason Chue, a.k.a Wookie. Rumour would have it that the two ‘might work well together.’ Wookie’s self-titled album was released, with five tracks co-written and featuring Lain, including the iconic top ten single “Battle” and “Back Up To Me.”

After working on the initial Wookie album, Lain started to put his first solo project together. His concept was simple. He chose a playlist from his ever-growing collection of songs, gathered some great musician friends to hang out for a week to record them, after which he spent the following week adding his vocals. He felt strongly about finding a cohesive flow to the varying genres of the original demos so that the live recordings could stand the test of time. Brother Soul was borne out of that very idea.

Songs from the heart of his faith, his truth, and his poetic commitment to social justice, all wrapped up in gospel, folk, and soul influences, Lain often refers to as GosFoSoul.

Around this time, Nu Colours were invited to feature on the One Voice album, where Lain had his first co-write with the group, “All Over The World.”

Lain was within walking distance of Simon Law (Soul II Soul) while living in London. Simon had recognized his songwriting talents from Lain’s days with Nu Colours and encouraged him to put some ideas down. As a result, the pair maintained contact when Simon moved to Toronto. In fact, they began to collaborate on several projects, so it was obvious that when Simon began to put his own project together, Lain would be involved and be a co-writer and featured vocalist on Simon’s “Look to the Sky” project.

In 2008, Lain and his wife Anita left their home and families in London, moved to New York City in the United States, and now reside in Houston, Texas. Although based in the US, Lain has featured on several projects back in the UK. The partnership with Wookie has continued over the years with soulful dance offerings like “Live On,” “World in Hand,” and “Spirit of the Sun.”

After a long hiatus, Lain has released his latest solo offering, “Change is Gonna Come,” reuniting with another friend and mentor, Michael J. McEvoy, who produced and co-wrote the song. This is a piece for the times we live in, demanding a change for love, positivity, and hope to be pursued and embraced.