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Caribbean Music Legends the Original Burning Flames aka The Fantastic Four last weekend joined the likes of  Drake, Kendrick Lamar and DJ Khaled in being  recognized for contributions to the City of Atlanta in the US. The Original Burning Flames  was given the key to the city of Atlanta. David “Krokus” Edwards, Toriano “Onyan” Edwards, Oukngo Edwards and Rone Foxx the Fantastci Four aka the Original Burning Flames accepted the Proclamation award from the City of Atlanta

In receiving the award Ounkgo Edwards said “I Would Like To Personally Show Appreciation To Patricia Henry Of The Atlanta Carnival Association For Going Above And Beyond The Call Of Duty In Obtaining This Proclamation Signed All The City’s Top Officials Giving The Original Burning Flames The Key To The City, We Will Do Anything In Our Powers To Assist You In Bringing Caribbean Culture And Community Development To The City Of Atanta.

 

The Original Burning Flamwes are Arguably the most popular soca band in the history of soca music. The band formed in St. John, Antigua in 1984. The original lineup included three brothers — Toriana “King Onyan” Edwards (vocals, guitar), David “Bubb-I” Edwards (vocals, bass), and Clarence “Oungku” Edwards (vocals, keyboards) — along with drummer Rone “Foxx” Watkins.^[2] The three brothers had previously worked together as buskers, and Clarence and Toriana played in Soca the late Soca King Arrow‘s backing band.The band appeared at the Antiguan  carnival in 1985 with their song “Stiley Tight”, which was issued as their debut single in 1986. They went on to have international success in 1989 with “Workey Workey”, which was also later covered by Byron Lee & the Dragonaires.

The band signed with  Mango Records in 1991, releasing the album Dig.^[2]

They won the Road March title on five occasions between 1991 and 1996. The band famously disbanded in 1997 with Onyan Edwards embarking on what turned out to be a successful solo career as a Calypsonian King Onyan, going on to win four Calypso Monarch titles.

The other members recruited vocalists Bryan Fontanelle and the Trinidadian Onika Bostik, and the new lineup recorded the album HokusPokus (1999). They won the Road March title again in 1999 with “Magician (I Command You)”.

The following year lead singer Oungku left Burning Flames after winning that year’s Carnival Road March with the single “De Harder Deh Come”, and formed a new band, Red Hot Flames. Red Hot Flames went on to win the 2006 road march competition with the single “Trouble”. That year, original band member Onyan rejoined with bass player and vocalist David “Krokuss” Edwards, also known as Lord Satellite and formed Onyan and the Burning Flames. The first album of the reformed band was entitled Ebry Bady Ha Fu Nyam and featured hit songs like “Raw Sole” and “Green Bush”. They went on to reclaim the Road March title with the single “Papi” from their 2007 album De Real Fyah. Both the Red Hot Flames and the Onyan and the Burning Flames continued until 2015 when the Original Members came back together for a Reunion performance at the famous Lions Den in Antigua. The Original Burning Flames performaed limited events during 2015 . However over the last few months the band has been in tremendous demand and has booked performances over the rest of 2016.

One of their much anticipated upcoming performances will be at the 20^th Anniversary of the St.Kitts Music Festival on June 23^rd. The Band is expected to headline the Soca Night of the festival which will also include the Origiginal WCK, Nu-Vybes Band, Small Axe Band, Nicha B and Kes the Band.