Toyan aka Ranking Toyan (born ''Byron Everton Letts'', died 1991) 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 ...

active since the mid-1970s and best known for his early 1980s recordings.

Biography

Toyan began his career in 1974, deejaying on

Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the six most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...

sound systems 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 ...

, such as ''Socialist Roots'' and ''Romantic HiFi''.Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn.", Rough Guides, He recorded his debut single, "Disco Pants" in the late 1970s for producer Don Mais. He went on to work extensively with

Joseph Hoo Kim Joseph is a common male name, derived from the Hebrew (). "Joseph" is used, along with " Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic count ...

and

Jah Thomas Nkrumah "Jah" Thomas (born 1955, Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae Deejay (Jamaican), deejay and record producer who first came to prominence in the 1970s, later setting up his own ''Midnight Rock'' and ''Nura'' labels. Biography Named Nkrumah aft ...

, resulting in a string of hits including "Girls Nowadays", "Kill No Man", "John Tom", and "Talk of the Town", as well as combination hits with

The Mighty Diamonds The Mighty Diamonds were a Jamaican harmony trio, recording roots reggae with a strong Rastafarian influence. The group was formed in 1969 and were best known for their 1976 debut album, '' Right Time'', produced by Joseph Hoo Kim, and the 1979 ...

("Pretty Woman"), Badoo ("Rocking the 5000"), and

Freddie McGregor Fredrick "Freddie" McGregor (born 27 June 1956, in Clarendon, Jamaica) is a Jamaican singer, musician and record producer. His music career began when he was seven years old. Biography In 1963 he joined with Ernest Wilson and Peter Austin to ...

("Roots Man Skanking"). In 1981, he joined

Henry "Junjo" Lawes Henry "Junjo" Lawes (1948 in Kingston, Jamaica – 14 June 1999 in London, England) was a highly influential Jamaican record producer and a sound engineer. Biography Born in the Waterhouse district of Kingston, Jamaica, Lawes began working ...

' Volcano Sound system, and toured Canada. With Lawes, he recorded the album ''How the West Was Won'', which is regarded as his best work, and went on to produce his own work and that of others such as Billy Boyo and Anthony Johnson. He toured the United Kingdom with the Jah Prophecy band and performed in Jamaica alongside

Dennis Brown Dennis Emmanuel Brown CD (1 February 1957 – 1 July 1999) was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of l ...

. He was murdered in Jamaica in 1991 with

Little John (musician) John McMorris (born March 30 1965), better known as Little John, is a Jamaican dancehall musician best known for his 1980s recordings. Biography Born March 30 1965 in Kingston, Jamaica, Little John was so called as he began performing and reco ...

present allegedly over the ownership of a gun.

Albums

*''How The West Was Won'' (1981)

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 ...

*''Toyan'' (1982) J&L *''Superstar Yellowman Has Arrived With Toyan'' (1982)

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 ...

(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 ...

) *''DJ Clash'' (1982) Volcano/Greensleeves (with Nicodemus) *''Spar With Me'' (1982) Jah Guidance *''Ghetto Man Skank'' (1983) Silver Camel *''DJ Daddy'' (1983) Upfront *''Nice Time'' (1983) Jam Rock/Pre (with

Triston Palma Triston Palma (born 1962) is a Jamaican reggae singer/deejay. He has been active since the mid-1970s. Biography Palma was born in 1961 and grew up in the Waltham Park area of Kingston, and decided from an early age that he wanted to be a singe ...

) *''Every Posse Want Me'' (1983) Live & Learn *''Murder'' (1983) Vista Sounds (with Tipper Lee & Johnny Slaughter) *''Hot Bubble Gum'' (1984) Power House *''Early Days'' Roots Tradition

References

External links

Toyan at Roots ArchivesToyan at Reggaepedia
{{Authority control 1991 deaths Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica Jamaican reggae musicians Greensleeves Records artists 1955 births