Prince Far I (23 March 1945 – 15 September 1983) was a Jamaican

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

deejay A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music festivals), mobile DJ ...

and producer, and a

Rastafarian Rastafari is an Abrahamic religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control of the movement and much ...

. He was known for his gruff voice and critical assessment of the Jamaican government. His track "Heavy Manners" used lyrics about government measures initiated at the time against violent crime.

Biography

He was born Michael James Williams in

Spanish Town Spanish Town (Jamaican Patois: Spain) is the capital and the largest town in the Parishes of Jamaica, parish of St. Catherine, Jamaica, St. Catherine in the historic county of Middlesex, Jamaica, Middlesex, Jamaica. It was the Spanish and Briti ...

, Jamaica. Williams' first job in the music industry was as a

on the Sir Mike the Musical Dragon

sound system Sound system may refer to: Technology media * Sound reinforcement system, a system for amplifying audio for an audience * High fidelity, a sound system intended for accurate reproduction of music in the home * Public address system, an institution ...

, also working as a security guard at

Joe Gibbs Joseph Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940) is an American auto racing team owner and former American football, football coach. He served as the head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1981 Washingto ...

' studio, and later as a bouncer at Studio One, but after recording "The Great Booga Wooga" for

Bunny Lee Edward O'Sullivan Lee OD (23 August 1941 – 6 October 2020), better known as Bunny "Striker" Lee, was a Jamaican record producer. He was known as a pioneer of the United Kingdom reggae market, licensing his productions to Trojan Records i ...

in 1969 (under the name King Cry Cry, a reference to his habit of breaking into tears when angered),Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter: ''Reggae: The Rough Guide'', 1997, Rough Guides, Thompson, Dave: ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', 2002, Backbeat Books, he got the chance in 1970 to record for

Coxsone Dodd Clement Seymour "Coxsone" Dodd (26 January 1932 – 4 May 2004) was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, 1960s and beyond. He was nicknamed "Coxsone" at school due to his talent ...

when

King Stitt Winston Sparkes (17 September 1940 – 31 January 2012), better known as King Stitt, was a Jamaican pioneer DJ. Biography He earned the nickname as a boy because of his stuttering and decided to use it as his stage name. Stitt began deejaying ...

failed to turn up for a session.Larkin, Colin: ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', 1998, Virgin Books, Dodd was sufficiently impressed to release the resulting recordings, Williams now using the name Prince Far I at the suggestion of another producer he had worked with, Enos McLeod. With a unique deep bass voice and talking over style, preferring to describe himself as a "chanter" rather than a "toaster", he became a popular reggae musician, styling himself "The Voice of Thunder". His first album, '' Psalms For I'', featuring the

Lord's Prayer The Lord's Prayer, also known by its incipit Our Father (, ), is a central Christian prayer attributed to Jesus. It contains petitions to God focused on God’s holiness, will, and kingdom, as well as human needs, with variations across manusc ...

and various psalms, was dedicated to the

illiterate Literacy is the ability to read and write, while illiteracy refers to an inability to read and write. Some researchers suggest that the study of "literacy" as a concept can be divided into two periods: the period before 1950, when literacy was ...

who could not read the Bible for themselves. He then worked with

on the second album, ''Under Heavy Manners'', before being signed by

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label owned by Universal Music Group. They were originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), ...

for their ''Frontline'' label. Twelve albums followed between 1978 and 1981, including the highly regarded ''Cry Tuff Dub Encounter'' series of dub albums, produced by Williams and released on his Cry Tuff label, and featuring the

Roots Radics The Roots Radics Band is a Jamaican reggae group, formed in 1978 by bass player Errol "Flabba" Holt, guitarist Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont and drummer Lincoln "Style" Scott. The nucleus of Holt and Lamont had previously worked together in the ...

under the pseudonym The Arabs. Spending an increasing amount of time in England, he also collaborated with UK

On-U Sound Records On-U Sound Records is an English record label known for releasing its own unique flavour of dub music since the 1980s. The label was founded by Adrian Sherwood in 1979/1980 and is home to acts such as Tackhead, Dub Syndicate, African Head Cha ...

including providing vocals in the reggae collective

Singers & Players Singers & Players were a reggae collective made up of vocalists and musicians associated with Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound Records. They recorded five albums between 1981 and 1988. Including artists such as Bim Sherman, Style Scott, Don Campbel ...

and may be considered a mentor figure to

Adrian Sherwood Adrian Maxwell Sherwood (born 20 January 1958) is an English record producer specialising in the genre of dub music. He has created a distinctive production style based on the application of dub effects and dub mixing techniques to other forms ...

. His final live performance took place on 7 December 1982 at

Band on the Wall Band on the Wall is a live music venue in the Northern Quarter (Manchester), Northern Quarter of Manchester, England. History Early history The building dates back to around 1862 when a local brewery, the McKenna Brothers, built it as the flag ...

, Manchester, where he performed with

Suns of Arqa Suns of Arqa are a world music collective founded in 1979 by Michael Wadada. Since the group's formation, over 200 people from around the world have played and recorded with them, and in many cases these were like-minded musicians Wadada met ...

This performance is captured on his album ''

Musical Revue ''Musical Revue'' is a live album featuring Prince Far I and Suns of Arqa released on ROIR Europe in 1988. The album was produced by Phil Rainford and features a live recording of Prince Far I with Suns of Arqa at Band on the Wall in Mancheste ...

''. In 1983, he provided vocals on

's second LP

Wadada Magic ''Wadada Magic'' is the second studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassett ...

, and many of these vocals have been reused by the band repeatedly on a variety of tracks and remixes, ranging from their first album in 1980 to (so far) 2006. He is credited for vocals on the sleeve of each of the releases in question. Later that year he recorded the album ''

Umkhonto We Sizwe uMkhonto weSizwe (; abbreviated MK; ) was the paramilitary wing of the African National Congress (ANC), founded by Nelson Mandela in the wake of the Sharpeville massacre. Its mission was to fight against the South African government to brin ...

'' with producer

Roy Cousins Roy Anthony Cousins (born 1949 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae singer, producer, and record label owner, known for being lead singer and co creator of The Royals, his productions of artists such as Charlie Chaplin, Prince Far I, Sc ...

in Kingston. Before the album was finished he was shot at his home 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 ...

, during a robbery, allegedly relating to a dispute over money, and died later in hospital. Adrian Sherwood, deeply upset by the murder of his friend, took a production hiatus from his beloved reggae genre and in 1983 recorded with his group Circut and

Neneh Cherry Neneh Mariann Karlsson (; born 10 March 1964), better known as Neneh Cherry, is a Swedish singer, songwriter, rapper, occasional disc jockey, and broadcaster. Her musical career started in London in the early 1980s, where she performed in a numb ...

, "Dead Come Alive". Prince Far I is also referred to by

The Clash The Clash were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they are considered one of the most influential acts in the original wave of British punk rock, with their music fusing elements ...

in their single "

Clash City Rockers "Clash City Rockers" is a song by English rock band the Clash. It was first released in February 1978 as a single with the B-side " Jail Guitar Doors", the latter a re-worked version of a song from Joe Strummer's pub rock days. "Clash City Rocker ...

" and also by

The Mountain Goats The Mountain Goats are a United States band formed in Claremont, California, Claremont, California, by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. The band is currently based in Durham, North Carolina, Durham, North Carolina. For many years, the sole me ...

in the song "Sept. 15th 1983", a reference to the date of his death.

Discography

Albums

*'' Psalms for I'' (Carib Gems, 1975) *''

Under Heavy Manners ''Under Heavy Manners'' is a reggae album by Prince Far I, released in 1976. The featured backing musicians were Joe Gibbs' house band, The Professionals. ''Heavy Manners'' refers to the state of emergency declared in Jamaica Jamaica is ...

'' (

, 1976) *'' Message from the King'' (Virgin

Front Line A front line (alternatively front-line or frontline) in military terminology is the position(s) closest to the area of conflict of an Military, armed force's Military personnel, personnel and Military technology, equipment, usually referring to ...

1978) *'' Long Life'' (Virgin Front Line, 1978) *''

Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter 1 ''Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter 1'' is a 1978 dub album by Prince Far I, which was credited on its release to his backing band The Arabs. It was produced by Prince Far I, engineered by Dennis Bovell and Mark Lusardi, and mixed by Adrian Sherwoo ...

'' (Cry Tuff/Hit Run, 1978) *''

Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Part 2 ''Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Part 2'' is a 1979 reggae album by Prince Far I. It was recorded at Harry J's studio in Kingston, Jamaica and mixed by Prince Jammy. The album was reissued on compact disc in expanded form as ''Dubwise'', with additional ...

'' (Cry Tuff/Virgin Front Line, 1979) *'' Free from Sin'' (

Trojan Trojan or Trojans may refer to: * Of or from the ancient city of Troy * Trojan language, the language of the historical Trojans Arts and entertainment Music * '' Les Troyens'' ('The Trojans'), an opera by Berlioz, premiered part 1863, part 18 ...

, 1979) *''Dub to Africa'' (Price Far I, 1979) *''

Jamaican Heroes ''Jamaican Heroes'' is a 1980 reggae album by Prince Far I. The musicians included Roots Radics and The Flying Lizards. The album was mixed by Anthony "Crucial Bunny" Graham at Studio One, Jamaica. The cover was designed by Jill Mumfield. Prince ...

'' (Trojan 1980) *''

Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter 3 ''Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter 3'' is a 1980 reggae album by Prince Far I & the Arabs. The album was originally released on vinyl in 1980 on the London-based Daddy Kool label, and was reissued on CD in 1996 by Pressure Sounds. Track listing All ...

'' (Cry Tuff/Daddy Kool, 1980) *''

Showcase in a Suitcase ''Showcase In A Suitcase'' is a reggae album comprising showcase (songs followed by dubs) format material produced by Prince Far I, and performed by Prince Far I, Ashanti Roy, The Wailing Souls, and Naggo Morris. The backing band throughout is ...

'' (Pre, 1980) *''

Livity ''Livity'' is a 1981 reggae album by Prince Far I. Livity is a word used by Rastafarians to refer to the energy or life-force that flows through all living things. The album is generally considered one of Prince Far I's weaker albums.Greene, Jo-A ...

'' (Pre, 1981) *''

Voice of Thunder ''Voice of Thunder'' is a reggae album by Prince Far I, released by Trojan Records Trojan Records is a British record label founded by Jamaican Duke Reid, Lee Gopthal and Chris Blackwell in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, regg ...

'' (Trojan 1981) *''Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter 4'' (Cry Tuff/Trojan 1981) *''Musical History'' (Trojan 1983) *''

'' (Kingdom/Tamoki Wambesi 1984) *''

'' / ''

Live with Prince Far I'' (

ROIR ROIR (pronounced "roar"), or Reachout International Records, is a New York City-based independent record label founded in 1979 by Neil Cooper. Background ROIR was founded the same year that the Sony Walkman launched, and initially, the label ex ...

, 1988) *'' Health and Strength'' (

Pressure Sounds Pressure Sounds is a British DIY record label, specialising in releasing reggae music. Run by Pete Holdsworth, it is one of the most enduring reggae labels in the UK, specialising in reissuing obsolete tunes. It was originally a subsidiary ...

, 1998)

Compilation albums

*''Black Man Land'' (1990) *''Dubwise'' (1991) *''Cry Freedom Dub'' (1994) *''In the House of Vocal & Dub with King Tubby'' (1995) *''DJ Originators Head To Head Volume Two Prince Far I & Trinity'' (1996) *''Megabit 25, 1922-Dub'' (1998) *''Ten Commandments'' (1999) *''The Golden Years 1977–1983'' (1999) *''Heavy Manners: Anthology 1977–83'' (Trojan 2003) *''Silver & Gold 1973-1975'' ( Blood and Fire, 2005) *''Cry Tuff Chants On U'' (

, 2024)

References

External links

Tribute site to Prince Far I
at On-U Sound site
Discography at Discogs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prince Far I Jamaican reggae musicians 1945 births 1983 deaths People from Spanish Town Musicians from Saint Catherine Parish Jamaican Rastafarians People murdered in Jamaica Jamaican murder victims Trojan Records artists Deaths by firearm in Jamaica Suns of Arqa members