Desmond Dekker
Bob Marley might have been reggae's international icon, taking the music to an entirely new level. But long before he made an impact abroad, Desmond Dekker was the man who helped make reggae (and rocksteady and ska) into a global sound. With hits like "Israelites," "A It Mek" and "007 (Shanty Town)," his unmistakable high voice helped turn the world on to the new sound of Jamaica in stunning fashion, charting in many countries.
Born in Kingston on July 16, 1943, Desmond Dacres grew up singing in church and was orphaned in his early teens. His workmates encouraged his vocal talents, and in 1961 Desmond made the rounds of the big producers like Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid, but with no success. He tried again, this time with Leslie Kong, and this time it clicked. It wasn't until late 1966, though, when rocksteady was the craze, that Dekker found his groove. Backed by the Aces, he released "007 (Shanty Town)," which was an instant hit. It also hit number 12 in Britain, prompting Dekker's first tour there.
He continued to release a string of hit singles, but his greatest success still lay ahead. In 1968 he articulated the suffering of everyday people in Biblical terms with "Poor Me, Israelites," which proved a powerful, resonant hit at home. For all its qualities, though, it couldn't break into the U.K. charts, until Graeme Goodall of Pyramid Records, which released the single there, remixed it and issued it as just "Israelites" in 1969. The result brought early reggae to the world's notice as no one had before. The single topped the charts in Britain, Sweden, Canada, West Germany, Holland and South Africa, while it went all the way to number 9 in the U.S., the first American reggae hit. The global followup (after more Jamaican smashes) "A It Mek," didn't make the American charts, but it hit number 7 in England.
Dekker's last U.K. hit was a cover of Jimmy Cliff's "You Can Get It If You Really Want It," which reached number 2. It wasn't until 1980, riding the wave of the ska revival, that he got briefly back on track. Signed by Stiff, he made the Black And Dekker covers album with the Rumour (Graham Parker's backing band), followed a year later by Compass Point, a collection of all-new material produced by Robert Palmer. Neither made a great impact, although Dekker continued to work the oldies circuit until his death in 2006. — Chris Nickson, Courtesy Global Rhythm Magazine: www.globalrhythm.net