jamaica

Smiley Culture (real name David Emmanuel) was a British reggae singer and DJ. Although his period of fame and success was brief, he did produce two of the most critically acclaimed reggae singles of the 1980s. Emmanuel, born and raised in South London, is the son of a Jamaican father and South American mother. He was educated at Tulse Hill School. Prior to his recording career he worked as a DJ with the Saxon Studio International reggae soundsystem, where he met and worked with a number of other reggae artists, including Maxi Priest, Papa Levi and Tippa Irie.

Gregory Isaacs is a Reggae singer/songwriter, born Gregory Anthony Isaacs on 15 July 1950 in Fletchers Land, Kingston, Jamaica, and is known as "The Cool Ruler" for his seductive crooning vocal style. Gregory attributes his greatest musical influences to R&B greats Sam Cooke and Percy Sledge, in addition to Delroy Wilson, Alton Ellis and Ken Boothe. In the late 1960's, Gregory first performed in a vocal trio called The Concords, after being encouraged by Byron Lee; but 1970 the group had split up and the singer songwriter would form his own imprint, African Museum.

A mento quartet from Port Antonio, Jamaica, formed 1955. They perform with bongos, banjo, rhumba box & kalimba / finger-piano. In the 50s, they were popular at The Trident Hotel & parties for 'the rich'n'famous', e.g. at Errol Flynn's residence. During the late 80s, they received renewed interest, when Jules Shear heard them playing at the Trident - he returned later & produced Pop 'N' Mento & other albums. A new album - Great Expectation - is slated for release, late 2010. http://Furious.com/perfect/JollyBoys.

Michael Prophet has got one of the most distinctive and beautiful voices known in the whole reggae world. He was born Michael Haynes in 1957 and grew up in the western Kingston ghetto of Greenwich Farm. He began his recording career in 1977 when he was discovered by the legendary producer Vivian Jackson, better known as Yabby You. Yabby You took Michael to Channel One where he voiced his debut song "Praise You Jah Jah".