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List Of Rocksteady Musicians
This is a list of notable bands and musicians who performed primarily rocksteady music for a significant portion of their careers. *Bobby Aitken *Roland Alphonso *Gladstone Anderson *Bob Andy *Ken Boothe *The Cables *Cornel Campbell *Carlton and The Shoes *Lloyd Charmers *The Clarendonians *Phyllis Dillon *Dobby Dobson *Errol Dunkley *Clancy Eccles *Alton Ellis *The Ethiopians *The Gaylads *The Gladiators (band), The Gladiators *Winston Grennan *Marcia Griffiths *Derrick Harriott *The Heptones *Justin Hinds *John Holt (singer), John Holt *The Jamaicans *Winston Jarrett *Keith & Tex *Pat Kelly (musician), Pat Kelly *Joya Landis *Hopeton Lewis *Mad Caddies *David Madden (musician), David Madden *Tommy McCook *Freddie McKay *The Melodians *Jackie Mittoo *Derrick Morgan *The Paragons *Ken Parker (musician), Ken Parker *Dawn Penn *Dwight Pinkney *The Pioneers (band), The Pioneers *Prince Buster *Ernest Ranglin *Jimmy Riley *Winston Riley *B.B. Seaton *Roy Shirley *The Silvertones *The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rocksteady
Rocksteady is a music genre that originated in Jamaica around 1966. A successor of ska and a precursor to reggae, rocksteady was the dominant style of music in Jamaica for nearly two years, performed by many of the artists who helped establish reggae, including harmony groups such as the Techniques, the Paragons, the Heptones and the Gaylads; soulful singers such as Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, Bob Andy, Ken Boothe and Phyllis Dillon; musicians such as Jackie Mittoo, Lynn Taitt and Tommy McCook. The term ''rocksteady'' comes from a popular (slower) dance style mentioned in the Alton Ellis song "Rocksteady", that matched the new sound. Some rocksteady songs became hits outside Jamaica, as with ska, helping to secure the international base reggae music has today. Characteristics The Jamaican musicians and producers who developed rocksteady had grown up learning and playing jazz and had played through ska. In a similar way to what happened at Motown, the musicians respons ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Gaylads
The Gaylads are a Jamaican vocal group. They were one of the top rocksteady vocal groups active in Jamaica between 1963 and 1973. History The group, formed in Kingston, originally consisted of singers Harris "B.B." Seaton, Winston Delano Stewart and Maurice Roberts; Seaton and Stewart had previously been successful as the duo Winston & Bibby.Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall'', Greenwood Press, , p.19The Gaylads Number Among Jamaica's Unsung Heroes , '''', 12 January 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2014 There would be several line-up changes throughout The Gayla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hopeton Lewis
Hopeton Lewis (3 October 1947 – 4 September 2014) was a Jamaican born singer of rocksteady and reggae, an arranger, and radio music presenter. Biography Lewis was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He sang in church from an early age, and started performing as a youth, forming a singing group called the Regals. By the mid-1960s, he began recording and had one of the earliest rocksteady hits with "Take It Easy" in late 1966.Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rough Guide To Reggae", Rough Guides, The track was recorded with Lynn Taitt and the Jets, and is regarded as one of the first rocksteady singles. He lived the later period of his life in Brooklyn, New York, where he presented a show on Grace Deliverance Radio.Campbell, Howard (2014)Singer Hopeton Lewis is dead", ''Jamaica Observer'', 5 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014 Lewis died on 4 September 2014 at his home in Brooklyn, aged 66, after ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joya Landis
Joya Landis, born Wanda Jeanne Vann (October 26, 1936 – April 17, 2013), was an American singer known for her ska and rocksteady records made in Jamaica with producer Duke Reid. Early life Vann was born in Mound City, Kansas in 1936, and was the eldest of three children. After high school, she married a man from Wisconsin and moved to Queens, New York with their two children, where she worked as a nightclub singer. After co-writing and performing a single in the mid-1960s, she caught the attention of Jamaican producer Duke Reid was invited to come to Jamaica to record under the stage name Joya Landis. Treasure Isle era In Jamaica, Landis recorded numerous rocksteady singles for Reid's Treasure Isle record label and Tommy McCook Tommy McCook (4 March 1927 – 5 May 1998) was a Jamaican saxophonist. A founding member of The Skatalites, he also directed The Supersonics for Duke Reid, and backed many sessions for Bunny Lee or with The Revolutionaries at Channel . ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pat Kelly (musician)
Horatious Adolphus "Pat" Kelly (6 August 1944 – 16 July 2019)Perry, Kediesha (2019)Fraternity bids farewell to singer Pat Kelly, ''Jamaica Observer'', 19 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019 was a prolific, influential Jamaican rocksteady and reggae singer and innovative, groundbreaking sound engineer working with King Tubby, Bunny Lee and Scientist (musician), whose career began in the mid-1960s. He recorded as a solo artist and as a member of the vocal group the Techniques. Slim Smith, who had been the lead vocalist in the band, left The Techniques in 1966 to be replaced by Pat Kelly. The shift from ska to rocksteady suited The Techniques, with a string of hits in 1967 and 1968 notably "You Don't Care" and "Queen Majesty", tunes which were versioned by Big Youth, Ken Parker (musician), Tony Tuff, Duke Reid, Tommy McCook, Sonia Pottinger's ''High Note'' label with The Revolutionaries, Ronnie Davis, The Itals, Cornell Campbell and many more Biography The Techniques ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Keith & Tex
Keith & Tex are the Jamaican rocksteady duo of Keith Rowe and Phillip Texas Dixon, best known for their 1967 hit " Stop That Train". History Keith Rowe (Born Keith Barrington Rowe) grew up in the Washington Gardens area of Saint Andrew Parish, across the road from Lee "Scratch" Perry's home and future studio, on the outskirts of Kingston.Peter IDon't Look Back - Interview with Keith Rowe, reggae-vibes.com, retrieved 2011-02-27 Phillip Texas Dixon grew up in the Pembroke Hall area and they were introduced by a mutual friend. Starting out as a five man group singing on the corner, they were encouraged to try to get recorded. They soon began auditioning for local producers but were rejected by Prince Buster, Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid, the group having lost confidence broke up leaving two. Keith and Tex were left and auditioned for Derrick Harriott where they eventually found success. Working with Harriott, they recorded a series of singles in the late 1960s, including "Stop Tha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Winston Jarrett
Winston Jarrett (born 14 September 1940)Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 423 is a Jamaican reggae singer who was part of Alton Ellis's group The Flames in the 1960s before recording with The Righteous Flames and as a solo artist. Biography Born in 1940 in Lime Tree Gardens, Saint Ann Parish, Jarrett grew up in the Jones Town area of Kingston after moving there with his mother at the age of five.Katz, David (2000) ''People Funny Boy: the Genius of Lee "Scratch" Perry'', Payback Press, , p. 77 There, he was taught to play guitar by Jimmy Cliff and Alton Ellis.Peter I (2004)A Wise Man – Winston Jarrett interview, Reggae Vibes, retrieved 29 March 2011 Jarrett's introduction to the music industry was as a member of Alton Ellis's backing band The Flames in the early 1960s, formed when Ellis's original singing partner Eddie Perkins emigrated to the US, singing on hits such as "Dancecrasher", "Cry Tough", "Rocksteady" and "Girl I've Got a Date" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Jamaicans
The Jamaicans were a ska/rocksteady group formed in Jamaica in 1967, consisting of members Tommy Cowan, Norris Weir, Derrick Brown and Martin Williams. Career The Jamaicans originally started out in 1964 as the Merricoles, consisting of Derrick Brown and childhood friend Norris Weir, joined later by Martin Williams (deceased), Flats Hylton, and I Kong.Black, Roy (2018)The Music Diaries , Noris Weir And The Jamaicans", ''Jamaica Gleaner'', 25 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018 Then Tommy Cowan joined the group to make them a six-piece band. The group soon changed their name to The Jamaicans, at the behest of Canadian shipping agent Aston McKeachron, to increase the group's international appeal, cutting two singles for Duke Reid at Treasure Isle - "Pocket Full of Money" and "Diana". Kong and Brown left in 1967. They had their first hit in 1967 with "Things You Say You Love".O'Brien Chang, Kevin & Chen, Wayne (1998) ''Reggae Routes'', Temple University Press, , p. 111 The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Holt (singer)
John Kenneth Holt OD (11 July 1947 – 19 October 2014) was a Jamaican reggae singer who first found fame as a member of The Paragons, before establishing himself as a solo artist. Early life Holt was born in the Greenwich Farm area of Kingston in 1947.Thompson, Dave (2002), ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , pp. 117–120. His mother Amy was a nurse.Ustanny, Avia (2004),You Inspired Me", ''Jamaica Gleaner'', 7 November 2004. Retrieved 25 October 2014. By the age of 12, he was a regular entrant in talent contests run at Jamaican theatres by Vere Johns, winning 28 contests, some broadcast live on Radio Jamaica.Larkin, Colin (1998), ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books, .Black, Roy (2014)Holt: One Of The Most Enduring Jamaican Singers, ''Jamaica Gleaner'', 23 October 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014. Career and recognition He recorded his first single in 1963 with "Forever I'll Stay"/"I Cried a Tear" for record producer Leslie Kong, and also recorde ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Justin Hinds
Justin Hinds (7 May 1942 – 16 March 2005) was a Jamaican ska and conscious roots reggae vocalist with his backing singers the Dominoes. He is best known for his work with Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Records, where his most notable song, "Carry Go Bring Come" recorded in late 1963, went to number one in Jamaica. He recorded seventy singles between 1964 and 1966, and was the most popular artist on the record label. Biography Hinds was born in Steertown, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica. He started his musical career singing in bars and on the beach in Ocho Rios. Hinds moved to Kingston, Jamaica where he became influenced by Rastafari. He was turned down by Coxsone Dodd's label, but signed with Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Records. By this stage, the Dominoes consisting of Dennis Sinclair and Junior Dixon had become his backing vocalists. Work with Duke Reid His first recording with Duke Reid was "Carry Go Bring Come", made in late 1963 in one take. It became a big hit topping the J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Heptones
The Heptones are a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae vocal trio most active in the 1960s and early 1970s. They were one of the more significant trios of that era, and played a major role in the gradual transition between ska and rocksteady into reggae with their three-part harmonies. The Heptones were contemporaries of the Wailers and the Maytals, and every bit their equal in the mid-1960s. History Leroy Sibbles, Earl Morgan, and Barry Llewellyn first came together as "The Hep Ones" in 1965 in Kingston, but they soon changed their name to "The Heptones". The name was chosen by Morgan after seeing a Heptones Tonic bottle lying in a pile of refuse.Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 114 The Heptones recorded for major Jamaican record producers at the time. They began their career, after one unsuccessful single for Ken Lack's "K Calnek" label, under the watchful eye of Coxsone Dodd of Studio One. The Heptones had a number of Jamaican ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Derrick Harriott
Derrick Clifton Harriott OD (born 6 February 1939) is a Jamaican singer and record producer. He was a member of the Jiving Juniors with Herman Sang before embarking on a solo career. He has produced recordings by Big Youth, Chariot Riders, The Chosen Few, Dennis Brown, The Ethiopians, Keith & Tex, The Kingstonians, Rudy Mills, Scotty, Sly & Revolutionaries, and Winston McAnuff. Biography The Jiving Juniors As a student at Excelsior High School, Harriott formed a duo with Claude Sang Jr.Jiving Juniors Unleashes Derrick Harriott On The World , '''', 18 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014 Harriott entered the [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
