Fathead (born Vernon Rainford; c. 1960 – 19 October 1988) was a

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots reggae, roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2 ...

musician best known for his collaborations with

Yellowman Winston Foster , (1956 or 15 January 1959) better known by the stage name Yellowman and also known as King Yellowman, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. He first became popular in Jamaica in the 1980s, rising to prominence with a serie ...

in the early 1980s.Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall'', Greenwood Press, , pp. 109–110

Biography

Fathead was born in

Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long spit (landform), sand spit which connects the town of Por ...

, and was already an established deejay when he began working with Yellowman, during the peak of the latter's popularity between 1980 and 1982. The pair performed regularly at the ''Aces Disco'' in St. Thomas, and recorded a live album there (the first ever live dancehall album),Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) ''The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn.'',

Rough Guides Rough Guides is a travel company that offers tailor-made trips planned and arranged by local travel experts based in destinations around the world. Originally established as a guidebook publisher in 1982, Rough Guides expanded into customized t ...

, , pp. 256–7 ''Live at Aces'', which was sufficiently successful for studio follow-ups ''Bad Boy Skanking'' and ''For Your Eyes Only'' (both 1982). Other albums featuring the duo were ''One Yellowman'', ''Supermix'', and ''The Yellow, The Purple, and the Nancy'', the latter also featuring Purpleman and

Sister Nancy Ophlin Russell (born on 2 January 1962), better known as Sister Nancy (or Muma Nancy), is a Jamaican dancehall DJ and singer. She is known as the first female dancehall DJ and was described as being a "dominating female voice for over two dec ...

. With Yellowman concentrating on solo material, Fathead went on to work with others, having a hit in 1983, with "It's Me" and collaborating with

Beenie Man Moses Anthony Davis OD (born 22 August 1973), professionally known as Beenie Man, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay. His awards include DJ of the Year Award eight years in a row. His twelfth studio album '' Art and Life'' received a Grammy Award ...

Early B Earlando Arrington Neil (28 February 1957 – 11 September 1994) better known by his stage name Early B, was an early dancehall and reggae deejay whose lyrics had a cultural bent, noted mainly in his hits ''Visit of King Selassie'', ''Histor ...

Johnny Ringo John Peters Ringo (May 3, 1850 – July 13, 1882) was an American Old West outlaw loosely associated with the Cochise County Cowboys in frontier boomtown Tombstone, Arizona Territory. He took part in the Mason County War in Texas during which h ...

, and Ranking Toyan. Yellowman and Fathead were reunited in 1984 for the ''Showdown vol. 5'' album, split between the duo and Purpleman. Rainford was murdered in

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, United States on 22 December 1988, dying from a gunshot wound. During an interview with Winston Foster (Yellowman) carried out by Steve Day in Brighton, England on 4 November 2009, Yellowman confirmed that Fathead (Vernon Rainford) was actively involved in the Miami drug trade. It was this involvement that would lead to his death.Simmonds, Jeremy (2008) ''The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns, and Ham Sandwiches'', Chicago Review Press, , p. 209

Discography

Albums

*''Live at Aces'' (1982) VP/Jah Guidance (Yellowman & Fathead) *''Bad Boy Skanking'' (1982)

Greensleeves "Greensleeves" is a traditional English folk song. A broadside ballad by the name "A Newe Northen Dittye of ye Ladye Greene Sleves" was registered by Richard Jones at the London Stationers' Company in September 1580,Frank Kidson, ''English F ...

(Yellowman & Fathead) *''For Your Eyes Only'' (1982) Arrival (Yellowman & Fathead) *''One Yellowman'' (1982) Hitbound (Yellowman & Fathead) *''Supermix'' (1982) Volcano (Yellowman & Fathead) *''Yellowman Fathead and the One Peter Metro'' (1982) Absissa (Yellowman, Fathead, and Peter Metro) *'' The Yellow, The Purple & The Sister Nancy'' (1982) Greensleeves (Yellowman & Fathead, Purpleman, & Sister Nancy) *''Showdown Vol 5'' (1984) Hitbound (Yellowman & Fathead & Purpleman)

Singles

*"It's Me"/"Wha Dat" (1983) *"That's The Sound" (w/ King Mellow Yellow, 1984) *"Wha-Do-Dem-So" (w/ King Mellow Yellow, 1984) *"Rat Trap" *"Come Me A Come" *"Champion" *"Stop All The Fight"

References

External links

Fathead
at Roots Archives {{DEFAULTSORT:Fathead Jamaican dancehall musicians 1988 deaths Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica Jamaican reggae musicians Year of birth missing Deaths by firearm in Florida