Mighty DiamondsThe Mighty Diamonds were a Jamaican harmony trio, recording roots reggae with a strong Rastafari influence. The group was formed in 1969 and were best known for their 1976 debut album, Right Time, produced by Joseph Hoo Kim, and the 1979 release, Deeper Roots. On March 29, 2022, their lead singer, Donald "Tabby" Shaw, was shot dead in a drive-by shooting. On April 1, 2022, Fitzroy "Bunny" Simpson died. They disbanded shortly afterwards.
Joseph Hoo KimJoseph "Jo Jo" Hoo Kim (10 December 1942 – 20 September 2018) was a Jamaican reggae record producer best known for his productions in the 1970s at his Channel One Studios. CareerBorn to parents of Chinese heritage, Joseph Hoo Kim grew up in the Maxfield Avenue area of Kingston. He was the oldest of four brothers (to Ernest, Paul and Kenneth), who during the 1960s were involved in the jukebox and slot machine industry.Channel One StudiosChannel One was a recording studio in Maxfield Avenue, West Kingston, Jamaica. The studio was built by the Hoo Kim brothers in 1972, and has had a profound influence on the development of reggae music. HistoryJoseph Hoo Kim's parents ran a bar and ice cream parlour in Kingston, and Kim became interested in opening a studio after visiting the Dynamic Sounds recording studio with John Holt.Island RecordsIsland Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in Jamaica by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, Leslie Kong and lawyer Michael Ernest David Chambers in 1959, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989.Prince Far IPrince Far I (23 March 1945 – 15 September 1983) was a Jamaican reggaedeejay and producer, and a Rastafarian. He was known for his gruff voice and critical assessment of the Jamaican government. His track "Heavy Manners" used lyrics about government measures initiated at the time against violent crime. BiographyHe was born Michael James Williams in Spanish Town, Jamaica.
Virgin RecordsVirgin Records is a British record label owned by Universal Music Group. They were originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. They grew to be a worldwide success over time, meaning that by the time it was sold, it was regarded as a major label, alongside other large international independents such as A&M and Island Records. Virgin Records was sold to Thorn EMI in 1992.
Johnny ClarkeJohnny Clarke (born 12 January 1955) is a Jamaicanreggae musician, best known for his recordings with producer Bunny Lee in the 1970s. BiographyClarke grew up in the Kingstonghetto of Whitfield Town and attended Jamaica College. In 1971 he won a talent contest in Bull Bay, his prize a meeting with producerClancy Eccles, with whom he recorded his first song, "God Made the Sea and the Sun", the following year.
Robbie ShakespeareRobert Warren Dale Shakespeare (27 September 1953 – 8 December 2021) was a Jamaican bass guitarist and record producer, best known as half of the reggaerhythm section and production duo Sly and Robbie, with drummer Sly Dunbar. Regarded as one of the most influential reggae bassists, Shakespeare was also known for his creative use of electronics and production effects units. He was sometimes nicknamed "Basspeare".
Roots reggaeNationalistic and patriotic songs Regional musicAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaAruba and the Dutch AntillesBahamasBarbadosBelizeBermudaBonaireCayman IslandsCubaCosta RicaCuraçaoDominicaDominican RepublicGrenadaGuadeloupeGuyanaHaitiMauritiusMartiniqueMontserratPanamaPuerto RicoSt Kitts and NevisSt LuciaSt Vincent and GrenadinesSurinameTrinidad and TobagoTurks and CaicosVirgin IslandsRoots 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 honouring of God, called Jah by Rastafarians.
JamaicaJamaica is an island country in the Caribbean, covering 10,991 square kilometres (4,244 sq mi). It is the third-largest island in the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean, after Cuba and the island of Hispaniola. Jamaica lies about 145 km (78 nmi) south of Cuba, 191 km (103 nmi) west of Hispaniola (the island containing Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and 215 km (116 nmi) southeast of the Cayman Islands (a British Overseas Territory).ReggaeReggae ( ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also refers to the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. The 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals titled "Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use the word reggae, effectively naming the genre and introducing it to a global audience.
AlbumAn album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), or audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or in digital format. The album was the dominant format or unit of recorded music expression and consumption from the mid-1960s through to the early 21st century, a period that has been described in the industry as the album era.
Sly DunbarLowell Fillmore "Sly" Dunbar (10 May 1952 – 26 January 2026) was a Jamaican drummer, best known as one half of the prolific Jamaican rhythm section and reggae production duo Sly and Robbie.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.