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All time most underrated reggae artist among reggae listeners?

downtownrobbrowndowntownrobbrown 446 Posts
edited August 2013 in Strut Central
Who are some unappreciated artists?

  Comments

  • kalakala 3,361 Posts
    sylford walker
    lloyd barnes until recently
    dennis bovell
    keith hudson
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    These all time in the whole universe only one answer questions! Yeesh!

    Kala's list is good, Keith Hudson gets a lot of love from people round here though. If the scene is small enough, all it takes is one or two people playing a couple of songs and an artist can become a darling in that particular pocket.
    As well, what shines in the States (region to region even) won't reflect Canadian and/or UK tastes where the exposure and absorption of Jamaican culture has had different patterns.
    Non-Caribbean, campus radio, via The Specials/The Clash/No Doubt/Shinehead/etc., "how rare is it?" obsessed reggae fans will have a different notion of stars and classics than those who grew up on it, those who were there when it all started to blow up, etc. etc.

    Courtney Melody is my pick. He has his hits, but few people play him out. He easily has one of the best and most unique voices that just isn't appreciated the way it needs to be.
  • mickalphabetmickalphabet deep inna majestic segue 374 Posts
    a few that spring to mind would be
    desi roots
    anthony johnson
    i-kong
    al campbell
    echo minott
    barry brown
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    I wouldnt say Barry Brown is underappreciated, in NY at least

    Junior Byles?
    As well known as he is i would say Horace Andy, to me one of the top five singers ever but i feel like a lot of folks dont rank him up there with Dennis Brown and Bob Marley and so on
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    I would put it this way- if they touring and there are compilations and re-issues of their music, chances are they are not that underrated.

    And despite it contradicting my formula, I totally agree with Junior Byles.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    I mean, reggae is so well sorted and mined at this point theres very little that remains below the radar without being one-off.

    I think Sugar Minott is underrated by casual crossover reggae fans.

    Carlton & The Shoes?
  • NabozoNabozo 48 Posts
    I have very little sense of who's famous, for example is Ranking Dread really huge or on the side, or the Mighty Diamonds or Leroy Brown or Delahaye or Pablo Gad? Seems hard to give a context.

    maybe Bob Andy, Bunny Wailer, Cornell Campbell, Linval Thompson, oh and Wayne Jarret I love this guy
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    .
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    (sorry for that weird post- laptop dying)

    Horace, Bob Andy and Cornel Campbell are seen as foundation staples with recognition for Bob Andy maybe fading the most of the three imo.
    Horace (or Ken Boothe) might get mentioned more if he had passed tragically/too early like Dennis Brown and Marley had. Marley calling Brown his favourite singer didn't hurt either.
    Anyway-You know that funny way post-mortem accolades work.

    I know I'm getting into dangerous territory here with personal taste, but for some of the folks mentioned so far...there's a reason they're not really rating higher.??
  • hogginthefogghogginthefogg 6,098 Posts
    Glen Washington and Errol Dunkley. Although I can see lots of folks not liking Glen.
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    +
    Lloyd Charmers
    His keyboard playing and productions are part of some of ska and rocksteady's best songs. His passing at the end of last year went by rather quietly.

    Rod Taylor
    I used to mix up him and Horace Andy. Terrific falsetto singer with a good lot of solid sides.
  • kitchenknightkitchenknight 4,922 Posts
    How does Big Youth rate?

    Is he too RATED?

    I love his records.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Yall dont know 'bout no Maxi Priest!
  • amphibiousamphibious 147 Posts
    bassie said:


    Courtney Melody is my pick. He has his hits, but few people play him out. He easily has one of the best and most unique voices that just isn't appreciated the way it needs to be.

    exactly what I came in here to post!
  • coffinjoecoffinjoe 1,743 Posts
    brigadier jerry

    reggae george

    keith poppin

    peter chemist

    robbie lynne
  • coffinjoecoffinjoe 1,743 Posts
    tony tuff

    ken bob

    hopeton lindo

    u brown

    lone ranger

    and ditto al campbell
    he wrote, arranged and produced for many artists

    i think many mentioned have become more recognized over the last decade thru re-issues and internet coverage,
    michael prophet , earl sixteen , edi fitzroy etc use to be under rated but maybe not so much today
  • meistromocomeistromoco 954 Posts
    co-sign on U-Brown, Junior Byles, and Wayne Jarrett.

    I'll also add:
    Michael Prophet
    The Gladiators (not underrated per se, but they never seem to get the props they deserve, imo.)
  • coffinjoecoffinjoe 1,743 Posts
    are these guys rated as highly as they should be ?

    Don Carlos

    Carlton Livingston

    Johnny Osbourne

    massive influences on many artists, the latter two spanning several eras of stylistic changes

    other neglected folks

    morwells

    Ken Parker

    Sky High & Mau Mau
  • SensiRiderSensiRider 97 Posts
    I think, like others have said, that most of the best singers and even songs are rated somewhere by some fervent reggae subcommunity. But I do think there are artists who maybe achieve success in some circles but are overlooked in others, like Beres Hammond.

  • picoandsepulvedapicoandsepulveda 1,026 Posts

    screen capture program
  • picoandsepulvedapicoandsepulveda 1,026 Posts
    Coincidentally, neither ^^ or vv are Jamaican.

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