Carlton and The Shoes is a Jamaican vocal group formed in the late 1960s with the lead vocalist Carlton Manning. Originally named Carlton and His Shades, the group initially featured his younger brothers Donald Manning and Lynford Manning, alongside Alexander Henry. A printer's error on their debut release led to the name change to Shoes. Their breakthrough came in 1968 with the release of the single “Love Me Forever”, a rocksteady hit recorded at Studio One under the producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd. The B-side of this single, “Happy Land”, inspired The Abyssinians' track “Satta Massagana”. After Donald Manning and Lynford Manning left to form The Abyssinians, Carlton Manning continued recording through the 1970s and early 1980s, releasing albums including Love Me Forever (1978), This Heart of Mine (1982), and Sweet Feeling (1996). Although the lead vocalist never repeated this initial success, the group remained active in Japan and Jamaica. Lynford Manning died on June 25, 2024.
