Uzziah "Sticky" Thompson (1 August 1936 – 25 August 2014) was a
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
n percussionist, vocalist and
deejay
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile D ...
active from the late 1950s. He worked with some of the best known performers of Jamaican music and played on hundreds of albums.
Biography
Thompson was born the third of five children in rural Mannings Mountain, Jamaica on 1 August 1936.
[Katz, David (2000) ''People Funny Boy: The Genius of Lee "Scratch" Perry'', Payback Press; , pp. 54, 113.] Due to his family's poverty he was unable to complete his education and moved to
Kingston at the age of 15 in search of work.
Thompson found employment with
Clement "Coxsone" Dodd
Clement Seymour "Coxsone" Dodd (26 January 1932 – 4 May 2004) was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, 1960s and beyond.
He was nicknamed "Coxsone" at school due to his talent a ...
, assisting him with running his
sound system, in time becoming a
deejay
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile D ...
with the system under the name "Cool Sticky". He became one of the earliest men to record in the new deejay style, using his mouth to make clicks and other percussive sounds. As a deejay he recorded with
The Skatalites
The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including " Guns of Navarone." They also played on records by Prince Buster and backed many othe ...
and can be heard on the tracks "Ball of Fire", "El Pussy Cat Ska", "Guns of Navarone", as well as others. While working for Dodd he became friends with
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 ...
, and Thompson recorded as a deejay for Perry, and for
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 ...
in the late 1960s, on tracks such as "Train to Soulsville".
Thompson rose to prominence as an instrumentalist in the early 1970s, beginning with a session by
The Wailers
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
for Perry in 1970,
soon becoming one of Jamaica's top percussionists.
[Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall'', Greenwood Press; , pp. 294–95.] He became a regular session musician in several studios, including playing as a member of Gibbs' house band
The Revolutionaries
The Revolutionaries (sometimes known as "Revolutionaires") was a Jamaican reggae band.
Career
Set up in 1975 as the house band of the Channel One Studios owned by Joseph Hoo Kim, The Revolutionaries with Sly Dunbar on drums and Bertram "Ranchi ...
,
[Bradley, Lloyd (2000) ''This Is Reggae Music'', Grove Press; , p. 358.] recording prolifically throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and appearing on recordings by artists including
Big Youth
Manley Augustus Buchanan (born 19 April 1949, Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica),Thompson, Dave (2002) "Reggae & Caribbean Music", Backbeat Books, better known as Big Youth (sometimes called Jah Youth), is a Jamaican deejay, mostly known for his ...
,
Dennis Brown
Dennis Emmanuel Brown CD (1 February 1957 – 1 July 1999) was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of l ...
,
The Congos
The Congos are a reggae vocal group from Jamaica which formed as the duo "Ashanti" Roy Johnson (tenor) (b. Roydel Johnson, 1947, Hanover, Jamaica) and Cedric Myton (falsetto) (b. 1947, Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica), later becoming a trio w ...
,
Culture
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...
(including ''
Two Sevens Clash
''Two Sevens Clash'' is the debut album by roots reggae band Culture, recorded with producer Joe Gibbs at his own Joe Gibbs Recording Studio in Kingston in 1976, and released on Gibbs' eponymous label in 1977 (see 1977 in music). The album's tit ...
''),
Peter Tosh
Winston Hubert McIntosh, OM (19 October 1944 – 11 September 1987), professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band the Wailers (1963â ...
,
Burning Spear
Winston Rodney OD (born 1 March 1945), better known by the stage name Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer-songwriter, vocalist and musician. Burning Spear is a Rastafarian and one of the most influential and long-standing roots ar ...
(''
Dry and Heavy''),
Yabby You
Vivian Jackson (14 August 1946 – 12 January 2010), better known as Yabby You (or sometimes Yabby U), was a reggae vocalist and producer, who came to prominence in the early 1970s through his uncompromising, self-produced work.
Biography
Jac ...
(''Beware Dub''),
The Wailing Souls
The Wailing Souls (originally The Renegades) are a Jamaican reggae vocal group whose origins date back to the 1960s. The group has undergone several line-up changes over the years with Winston "Pipe" Matthews and Lloyd "Bread" McDonald the only c ...
and
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg (; born Lucien Ginsburg; 2 April 1928 – 2 March 1991) was a French musician, singer-songwriter, actor, author and filmmaker. Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provoca ...
.
[Campbell, Howard (2009)]
Hand drummers take centre stage
", ''Jamaica Gleaner
''The Gleaner'' is an English-language, morning daily newspaper founded by two brothers, Jacob and Joshua de Cordova on 13 September 1834 in Kingston, Jamaica. Originally called the ''Daily Gleaner'', the name was changed on 7 December 1992 to ' ...
'', 29 September 2009; retrieved 21 March 2010.[Grass, Randall (2009) ''Great Spirits: Portraits of Life-changing World Music Artists'', University Press of Mississippi; , p. 193.] He performed as part of the live bands of several artists including
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 ...
(playing on the 1976 album ''In Concert'' and playing in his Oneness band).
[Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books; , p. 78.] In the 1980s, Thompson was a regular member of
Black Uhuru
Black Uhuru is a Jamaican reggae group formed in 1972, initially as Uhuru ( Swahili for 'freedom'). The group has undergone several line-up changes over the years, with Derrick "Duckie" Simpson as the mainstay. They had their most successful per ...
, playing on their early 1980s albums ''Sinsemilla'', ''Red'', ''Chill Out'', and ''Dub Factor''.
Thompson continued to play regularly on studio sessions for artists such as
Bunny Wailer
Neville O'Riley Livingston (10 April 1947 – 2 March 2021), known professionally as Bunny Wailer, was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and percussionist. He was an original member of reggae group The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. ...
,
Grace Jones
Grace Beverly Jones (born 19 May 1948) is a model, singer and actress. Born in Jamaica, she and her family moved to Syracuse, New York, when she was a teenager. Jones began her modelling career in New York state, then in Paris, working for ...
(as a member of the
Compass Point All Stars
Compass Point Studios was a music recording studio in the Bahamas, founded in 1977 by Chris Blackwell, the owner of Island Records. The concept of the studio was of a recording facility supported by in-house sets of artists, musicians, producer ...
),
[O'Brien, Glenn (1987)]
Platter du Jour: Grace Jones – ''Inside Story''
, ''SPIN
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'', January 1987; retrieved 21 March 2010. The Tom Tom Club,
Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Anthony Isaacs OD (15 July 1951 – 25 October 2010)Thompson, p. 127. was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in ''The New York Times'', described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae".Miles, Milo (1992),RECORDI ...
, and
Ziggy Marley
David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born 17 October 1968) is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, musician, actor and philanthropist. He is the son of reggae icon Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 200 ...
throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
[Campbell, Howard (2014)]
Life after 'Sticky': Remembering percussionist 'Sticky' Thompson
, ''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 ...
'', 31 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014 More recently he recorded with
Stephen Marley (the
Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
-winning ''
Mind Control
Brainwashing (also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and forced re-education) is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques. Brainwashin ...
''),
[Tuff Gong celebrates Ziggy, Stephen Grammy wins]
, ''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 ...
'', 13 March 2010; retrieved 21 March 2010. Sinéad O'Connor
Shuhada Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor on 8 December 1966; ) is an Irish singer-songwriter. Her debut album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second album, ''I Do Not Want What ...
,
[Cooke, Mel (2005)]
Sinead presents 'Rasta record'
, ''Jamaica Gleaner
''The Gleaner'' is an English-language, morning daily newspaper founded by two brothers, Jacob and Joshua de Cordova on 13 September 1834 in Kingston, Jamaica. Originally called the ''Daily Gleaner'', the name was changed on 7 December 1992 to ' ...
'', 10 August 2005, retrieved 21 March 2010. Bruno Blum
Bruno Blum (born October 4, 1960, Vichy, France) is a French singer songwriter, guitar player, music producer and musicologist sometimes nicknamed "Doc Reggae". He is mostly known for his work in the reggae, Caribbean music, rock music and Afric ...
and
Michael Franti
Michael Franti (born April 21, 1966) is an American rapper, musician, poet, activist, documentarian, and singer-songwriter, known for his participation in many musical projects, most with a political and social emphasis, including the Beatnigs ...
.
[Campbell, Howard (2009)]
Journeyman Michael Franti finds right formula in Kingston
, ''Jamaica Gleaner
''The Gleaner'' is an English-language, morning daily newspaper founded by two brothers, Jacob and Joshua de Cordova on 13 September 1834 in Kingston, Jamaica. Originally called the ''Daily Gleaner'', the name was changed on 7 December 1992 to ' ...
'', 22 November 2009; retrieved 21 March 2010.
Thompson remained active in the Jamaican music industry. In the 2000s he moved into production, with his sons Kevin and Alrick
and toured the world with Ziggy Marley's band. He died on 25 August 2014, aged 78, at his
Miami, Florida
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
home after suffering a heart attack. Leaving his wife Sharon of 40 years, daughters Andrea, Chairmane, Anna-Kay (Annie) and his sons Kevin and Alrick "Sticky2" Thompson, Alrick later died February 6, 2016.
[Campbell, Howard (2014)]
"Uzziah 'Sticky' Thompson dies"
''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 ...
'', 27 August 2014; retrieved 28 August 2014.
Collaborations
With
Grace Jones
Grace Beverly Jones (born 19 May 1948) is a model, singer and actress. Born in Jamaica, she and her family moved to Syracuse, New York, when she was a teenager. Jones began her modelling career in New York state, then in Paris, working for ...
* ''
Warm Leatherette
"Warm Leatherette" is a song by Daniel Miller's project the Normal, released in 1978.
The Normal original
Overview
The lyrics of "Warm Leatherette" reference J. G. Ballard's controversial 1973 novel ''Crash'', which had heavily influenced Dani ...
'' (Island Records, 1980)
* ''
Nightclubbing'' (Island Records, 1981)
* ''
Living My Life
''Living My Life'' is the autobiography of Lithuanian-born anarchist Emma Goldman, who became internationally renowned as an activist based in the United States. It was published in two volumes in 1931 (Alfred A. Knopf) and 1934 (Garden City Publ ...
'' (Island Records, 1982)
* ''
Hurricane
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
'' (PIAS Recordings, 2008)
With
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...
* ''
Sheffield Steel
''Sheffield Steel'' is the eighth studio album by Joe Cocker, produced by Chris Blackwell and Alex Sadkin, with Sly and Robbie, Wally Badarou, Barry Reynolds, Mikey Chung and Uziah "Sticky" Thompson, a.k.a. the Compass Point Allstars, a studio ...
'' (Island Records, 1982)
With
John Martyn
Iain David McGeachy (11 September 1948 – 29 January 2009), known professionally as John Martyn, was a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Over a 40-year career, he released 23 studio albums, and received frequent critical acclaim. ...
* ''
Sapphire
Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide () with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin "sapphir ...
'' (Island Records, 1984)
With
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...
* ''
Countryman'' (Lost Highway Records, 2005)
With
Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers
Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers were a Jamaican-American reggae family group whose line-up consisted of the children of musicians, Bob Marley and Rita Marley, which includes lead singer Ziggy Marley with Sharon Marley, Cedella Marley, and ...
* ''
Play the Game Right
''Play the Game Right'' is the debut album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1985. The album was executive produced by Rita Marley.
The album was nominated for a Grammy.
Critical reception
AllMusic called ''Play the Game Right' ...
'' (EMI, 1985)
* ''
One Bright Day
''One Bright Day'' is the fourth album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1989. It won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album
The Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was ...
'' (Virgin Records, 1989)
* ''
Jahmekya
''Jahmekya'' is a studio album by the reggae group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1991.
The album was nominated for a Grammy. It peaked at #63 on the ''Billboard'' 200.
Production
The album was produced by Glenn Rosenstein a ...
'' (Virgin Records, 1991)
* ''
Joy and Blues'' (Virgin Records, 1993)
* ''
Free Like We Want 2 B
''Free Like We Want 2 B'' is an album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1995 by Elektra Records. It was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best Reggae Album" category.
The album peaked at No. 170 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboa ...
'' (Elektra Records, 1995)
* ''
Fallen Is Babylon
''Fallen Is Babylon'' is the ninth album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1997. It won a Grammy award in the category of Best Reggae Album, and achieved commercial success with its single, "People Get Ready", produced by Michael ...
'' (Elektra Records, 1997)
* ''
Spirit of Music
''Spirit of Music'' is a 1999 studio album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. It was the group's final album before their initial split in order to pursue solo careers. The album peaked at No. 1 for Top Reggae Albums chart. Unlike their pre ...
'' (Elektra Records, 1999)
With
Peter Tosh
Winston Hubert McIntosh, OM (19 October 1944 – 11 September 1987), professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band the Wailers (1963â ...
* ''
Equal Rights'' (EMI, 1977)
* ''
Bush Doctor
''Bush Doctor'' is the third studio album by Jamaican reggae singer Peter Tosh. It was released in 1978 on Rolling Stones Records. The album features Mick Jagger as guest vocalist on one song, while Keith Richards plays guitar on two tracks. The ...
'' (EMI, 1978)
* ''
Mystic Man
''Mystic Man'' is the fourth studio album by Peter Tosh. All songs were composed by Peter Tosh. It was released in 1979 by Rolling Stones Records (his second album for the label), EMI, and Intel Diplo (in Jamaica).
The album's cover photo, by A ...
'' (EMI, 1979)
* ''
Wanted Dread & Alive'' (Capitol Records, 1981)
* ''
Mama Africa'' (EMI, 1983)
* ''
No Nuclear War'' (EMI, 1987)
With
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 ...
* ''Brave Warrior'' (EMI, 1975)
* ''Follow My Mind'' (Reprise Records, 1975)
* ''
Give Thankx'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1978)
* ''Give the People What They Want'' (MCA Records, 1981)
* ''Special'' (Columbia Records, 1982)
* ''The Power and the Glory'' (CBS Records, 1983)
With
Gwen Guthrie
Gwendolyn Guthrie (July 9, 1950 – February 3, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter and pianist who also sang backing vocals for Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Peter Tosh, and Madonna, among others, and who wrote songs made fa ...
* ''Gwen Guthrie'' (Island Records, 1982)
With
Sinéad O'Connor
Shuhada Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor on 8 December 1966; ) is an Irish singer-songwriter. Her debut album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second album, ''I Do Not Want What ...
* ''
Throw Down Your Arms'' (Chocolate and Vanilla, 2005)
With
Betty Wright
Bessie Regina Norris (December 21, 1953 – May 10, 2020), better known by her stage name Betty Wright, was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter and background vocalist. Beginning her professional career in the late 1960s as a teena ...
* ''Wright Back At You'' (Epic Records, 1983)
With
Stephen Marley
* ''
Mind Control
Brainwashing (also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and forced re-education) is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques. Brainwashin ...
'' (Tuff Gong, 2007)
* ''
Revelation Pt. 1 – The Root of Life
''Revelation Part 1: The Root of Life'' is the second studio album of Stephen Marley (musician), Stephen Marley, released on 24 May 2011. The album won a Grammy Award in 2012 for Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album, Best Reggae Album.
Reception
Th ...
'' (Universal Records, 2011)
References
External links
Uziah Sticky Thompsonat Roots Archives
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Uziah
Jamaican reggae musicians
1936 births
2014 deaths
Jamaican expatriates in the United States