Letetia Leonora McLeanObituary hkhfuneralservices.com; accessed 7 October 2016. (8 January 1944 – 29 September 2016), better known as Nora Dean, was 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 ...
and later gospel singer, best known for her 1970 hit "Barbwire". Dean recorded solo and as a member of The Ebony Sisters, The Soul Sisters and The Soulettes.
Biography
Born in
Spanish Town
Spanish Town ( jam, label=Jamaican Creole, Panish Tong) is the capital and the largest town in the parish of St. Catherine in the historic county of Middlesex, Jamaica. It was the Spanish and British capital of Jamaica from 1534 until 1872. Th ...
on 8 January 1944 to Isolene Ricketts and David Dean,Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books; , pp. 417, 444 Nora Dean recorded as a member of The Soulettes (with Rita Marley) and The Ebony Sisters before recording as a solo artist. She recorded for
Lee "Scratch" Perry
Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry; 20 March 1936 – 29 August 2021) was a Jamaican record producer, composer and singer noted for his innovative studio techniques and production style. Perry was a pioneer in the 1970s development o ...
, including the 1969 single "The Same Thing That You Gave to Daddy". Dean had her first hit in 1970 for producer Byron Smith with "Barbwire", based on
The Techniques
The Techniques were a Jamaican rocksteady vocal group mainly active in the 1960s.
History
The group was formed by Winston Riley in 1962 while still at school, with the initial line-up also featuring Slim Smith, Franklyn White, and Frederick Wa ...
' "You Don't Care".Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books; , p. 74
She enjoyed further success with "Night Food Reggae". She went on to record for
Sonia Pottinger
Sonia Eloise Pottinger OD ( Durrant; 21 June 1931 – 3 November 2010)Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 316Harry Mudie ("Let Me Tell You Boy"), and Bunny Lee, including a version of " Que Sera Sera", retitled "Kay Sarah". She contributed backing vocals to
Jimmy Cliff
James Chambers OM (born 30 July 1944), known professionally as Jimmy Cliff, is a Jamaican ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and actor. He is the only living reggae musician to hold the Order of Merit, t ...
's 1973 album ''Unlimited''.
Dean moved to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
in the mid-1970s, where she married. After several years away from music she returned in the 1980s, singing in a
lovers rock
Lovers' rock is a style of reggae music noted for its romantic sound and content. While love songs had been an important part of reggae since the late 1960s, the style was given a greater focus and a name in London in the mid-1970s.Larkin, Col ...
style. In the 1990s she began recording again, now concentrating on
gospel music
Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...
, releasing several albums in the years that followed.
Dean moved to
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
in 2010, where she died on 29 September 2016, aged 72.Jackson, Kevin (2016) Nora Dean Dead at 72 , ''
Jamaica Observer
''Jamaica Observer'' is a daily newspaper published in Kingston, Jamaica. The publication is owned by Butch Stewart, who chartered the paper in January 1993 as a competitor to Jamaica's oldest daily paper, ''The Gleaner''. Its founding editor i ...
'', 2 October 2016; retrieved 6 October 2016.
Discography
*''Play Me a Love Song'' (1981), Nationwide
*''My Soul Loves Jesus'' (1996), Aquarius
*''Melody of Praise'' (1998), Aquarius
*''Down on My Knees'' (1999), Faith Gospel Recording Ministry
*''The Love of God - Reach Down to Me'' (2000), Faith Gospel Records Productions
*''Breakthrough'' (2003), Evangelist
*''Merry Christmas'' (2004)
*''At Calvary'' (2006)