Errol dunkley biography

Errol Dunkley is a Jamaican reggae singer, born in Kingston in 1951. Dunkley's recording career began in 1965, when he was fourteen, with "Gypsy" (a duet with Roy Shirley) for Lindel Pottinger's Gaydisc label, "My Queen" (with Junior English) for Prince Buster, and "Love Me Forever" on the Rio label . Between 1967 and 1968 he recorded several singles for Joe Gibbs including "Please Stop Your Lying" (1967) and "Love Brother" (1968), before switching to Coxsone Dodd in 1969.

In the early 1970s, together with Gregory Isaacs he formed the African Museum record label, although Isaacs soon took sole control of the label, while Dunkley formed a new label, Silver Ring. In 1972 he teamed up with producer Jimmy Radway for two of his most popular singles, "Keep The Pressure On" and "Black Cinderella". The same year saw the release of Dunkley's Sonia Pottinger produced debut album, Presenting Errol Dunkley, which included the track "A Little Way Different".

Dunkley continued to record throughout the 1970s and towards the end of the decade his popularity in the UK grew, resulting in a breakthrough UK Singles Chart hit in 1979 with "OK Fred", a cover version of a John Holt-penned song, that reached number 11. He also avoided the one-hit wonder tag, by securing a minor chart placing with the 1980 follow-up release "Sit Down And Cry".

Dunkley's biggest hit, "OK Fred", was re-recorded in 1996 with Queen Sister *N*.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Errol_Dunkley

Jamaican reggae pioneer, Errol Dunkley, bridged the roots music of ‘60s Jamaica with London’s Brit-reggae scene of the ‘70s.

Dunkley’s biggest hit, a remake of John Holt’s “OK Fred”, barely missed the UK top ten in 1978 and was re-recorded as a duet with Queen Sister *N* in 1996. Dunkley went on to work with many of Jamaica’s greatest producers. He founded the African Museum label with Gregory Isaacs and scored the imprint’s first hit single, “Movie Star”, alongside moving to London and signing with the Shelley Recording Company.

Dunkley continued to build a following in the United Kingdom and Europe. His first British hit, “A Little Way Different”, released in 1974, was followed by UK releases such as “Happiness Forget”.

Open The Gate Sound will be on support duties, an essential piece to London’s Jamaican music scene.

Errol Dunkley:

Born 1951, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Dunkley had already cut his first records, a duet with Roy Shirley entitled "Gypsy" for Lindel Pottinger's Gaydisc label, "My Queen" with Junior English for Prince Buster, and "Love Me Forever", issued on the Rio label in 1965, by the ripe old age of 14. Between 1967 and 1968, he recorded "Please Stop Your Lying", "I'm Going Home", "I'm Not Your Man" and "You're Gonna Need Me" for Joe Gibbs, before switching to Coxsone Dodd in 1969 where he cut "Satisfaction" and "Get Up Now", among others.

In 1971 he recorded a medley of his Joe Gibbs hits, entitled "Three In One", "Deep Meditation" and "Darling Ooh" for Rupie Edwards. In an attempt to achieve musical and financial autonomy he teamed up with fellow singer Gregory Isaacs to form the African Museum label, achieving a local success with a version of Delroy Wilson's "I Don't Know Why", retitled "Movie Star". However, the partnership collapsed and Dunkley went on to form his own Silver Ring label, although no hits were forthcoming. In 1972 producer Jimmy Radway recorded him on two of his best sides: "Keep The Pressure On" and the big hit, "Black Cinderella". An album also emerged produced by Sonia Pottinger, entitled Presenting Errol Dunkley (re-released in 1981 as Darling Ooh), an excellent selection of originals and cover versions, including the classic, self-penned "A Little Way Different".

Throughout the first half of the 70s Dunkley appeared on a variety of labels, recording a number of fine singles including "Little Angel", "Oh Lord", "Where Must I Go", "Down Below" and "Act True To Your Man". The second half of the decade saw Dunkley gaining successes among the UK reggae fraternity with tunes such as "I'm Your Man&