Alphonso "Al" Campbell (born 31 August 1954) is a Jamaican
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
singer active since the late 1960s.
Biography
Born in
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...
, Campbell's singing career began in church, where his father was a preacher, and Al would sing to raise funds. He went to school with Lloyd James (aka
Prince Jammy
Lloyd James (born 26 October 1947),Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter: "Reggae: The Rough Guide", 1997, Rough Guides, better known as Prince Jammy or King Jammy, is a Jamaican dub mixer and record producer. He began his musical career as a dub ma ...
) and formed a vocal group with friends as a teenager, called The Thrillers, who recorded in the late 1960s for Studio One. After briefly joining up with
Freddie McGregor
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 form The C ...
's Royal Rasses, and the Mighty Cloud band. Campbell then embarked on a solo career (also contributing vocals to two
Heptones
The Heptones are a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae vocal Trio (music), trio most active in the 1960s and early 1970s. They were one of the more significant trios of that era, and played a major role in the gradual transition between ska and roc ...
albums), and was a popular
roots reggae
Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of Africans and those in the African Diaspora, including the spiritual side of Rastafari, black liberation, revolution and the honoring of God, called Jah ...
singer during the 1970s, recording for producers such as
Phil Pratt
Phil Pratt, born George Phillips (born 1942 in Kingston, Jamaica)Thompson, Dave (2002), ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 316. is a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer.
Career
Phil Pratt worked at Studio One for Coxsone ...
,
Bunny Lee
Edward O'Sullivan Lee OD (23 August 1941 – 6 October 2020), better known as Bunny "Striker" Lee, was a Jamaican record producer. He was known as a pioneer of the United Kingdom reggae market, licensing his productions to Trojan Records i ...
, and
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940) is an American auto racing team owner and former professional football coach. In football, he was head coach for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1981 to 1992, and a ...
Black Ark
The Black Ark was the recording studio of reggae and dub producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, built in 1973 and located behind his family's home in the Washington Gardens neighborhood of Kingston, Jamaica. Despite the rudimentary set-up and dated eq ...
studio.
His "Gee Baby" was a big hit in 1975 in both Jamaica and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. He adapted successfully to the early
dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...
and lovers rock styles in the late 1970s and 1980s, working with producers such as
Linval Thompson
Leval Alphonso Thompson (born 12 October 1954, Kingston, Jamaica), also known as Linval Thompson, is a Jamaican reggae and dub musician and record producer.
Biography
Thompson was raised in Kingston, Jamaica, but spent time with his mother in ...
. Campbell's recording of "Late Night Blues" (1980) became a staple of blues parties. Campbell performed with the Stur-Gav sound system in the early 1980s. More recently he has recorded for
King Jammy
Lloyd James (born 26 October 1947),Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter: "Reggae: The Rough Guide", 1997, Rough Guides, better known as Prince Jammy or King Jammy, is a Jamaican dub mixer and record producer. He began his musical career as a dub ma ...
,
Philip "Fatis" Burrell
Philip "Fatis" Burrell (23 July 1954 – 3 December 2011)Katz, David (2011)Philip 'Fatis' Burrell obituary, ''The Guardian'', 6 December 2011, retrieved 2011-12-06 was a Jamaican record producer, who ran the Xterminator record label. He was one o ...
, and
Mafia & Fluxy
Mafia & Fluxy are a British reggae rhythm section and production team, consisting of the brothers Leroy (bass) and David Heywood (drums), whose careers began with London reggae band The Instigators in 1977. They backed Jamaican artists on UK to ...
.
In 1997, he joined
Cornell Campbell
Cornel Campbell aka Don Cornel or Don Gorgon (born 23 November 1945 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae singer, best known for his trademark falsetto voice, and his recordings at Studio One in the late 1960s and his later work with Bunny Lee i ...
and
Jimmy Riley
Martin James Ziggy Norman Riley (22 May 1947 – 23 March 2016), better known as Jimmy Riley, was a Jamaican singer who in addition to recording solo was also a member of the Sensations and The Uniques and was the father of Tarrus Riley.Kenner ...
in a new version of The Uniques, the group releasing a self-titled album in 1999.
Campbell has not performed in Jamaica since a stageshow held by
Jack Ruby
Jack Leon Ruby (born Jacob Leon Rubenstein; April 25, 1911January 3, 1967) was an American nightclub owner and alleged associate of the Chicago Outfit who murdered Lee Harvey Oswald on November 24, 1963, two days after Oswald was accused of th ...
shortly before the latter's death.Campbell-Livingston, Cecilia Al Campbell is 'Man from Studio One' . ''Jamaica Observer''. 27 February 2011. Retrieved 2011-2-28. He continues to tour Europe and North America
Albums
*''Gee Baby'' (1977) Phil Pratt/Sunshot
*''Ain't That Loving You'' (1978) Jamaica Sound (reissued 1994 as ''Sly & Robbie Presents The Soulful Al Campbell'')
*''Loving Moods of Al Campbell'' (1978) Ital
*''Mr. Music Man'' (1978) Manic
*''No More Running'' (1978) Terminal
*''Showcase'' (1978) DEB
*''Rainy Days'' (1978) Hawkeye
*''Diamonds'' (1979) Burning Sounds
*''More Al Campbell Showcase'' (197?) Ethnic
*''Mr. Lovers Rock'' (1980) Sonic Sounds
*''Late Night Blues'' (1980) JB
*''The Other Side of Love'' (1981) Greensleeves
*''Dance Hall Stylee'' (1982) Narrows Enterprise
*''Bad Boy'' (1984) CSA
*''Freedom Street'' (1984) Londisc
*''Forward Natty'' (1985) Move
*''Shaggy Raggy'' (1985) Sampalu
*''Reggae '85'' (1985) Blue Mountain
*''Fence Too Tall'' (1987) Live & Love
*''Ain't Too Proud To Beg'' - LP (1987) Live & Love
*''Bounce Back'' (1990) Reggae Road
*''The Soulful Al Campbell'' (1994) Rhino
*''Road Block'' (1997) Exterminator
*''Revival Selection'' (1998) Kickin'
*''22 Karat Solid Gold'' (1998) Reggae Road
*''22 Karat Gold Volume 2'' (1998) Reggae Road
*''Rock On'' (1998) Charm
*''Hit Me With Music'' (1998) Hot Shot
*''Roots & Culture'' (1999) Jet Star
*''Today, Tomorrow, Forever'' (2000) Reggae Road
*''Deeper Roots'' (2001) Reggae Road
*''Always In My Heart'' (2001) Artists Only
*''Higher Heights'' (2002) Reggae Road
*''Love From a Distance'' (2003) Cousins
*''Tribute to Clement Coxsone Dodd'' (2004) Reggae Road
*''24/7'' (2006) Reggae Road
*''Rasta Time'' - Lagoon
*''Talk About Love'' - Sonic Sounds
*''It's Magic'' - free world music