Roy Shirley
Wikimp3 information about the music of Roy Shirley. On our website we have 47 albums and 70 collections of artist Roy Shirley. You can find useful information and download songs of this artist. We also know that Roy Shirley represents Reggae genres.
Biography
[Edit]Singer Roy Shirley laid the foundations for rocksteady with his Joe Gibbs-produced 1967 hit "Hold Them." An eccentric, dynamic performer famed for his theatrical stage garb and quavering vibrato, his scant recorded output and limited international fame belie his significant influence on the evolution of reggae. Born July 18, 1944 in Kingston, Jamaica, Shirley first honed his three-octave voice in the choir of his mother's Trenchtown revivalist church. As a teen he began competing in local talent contests, befriending fellow competitor Jimmy Cliff, who encouraged him to go pro. Shirley's earliest professional recordings for producer Simeon L. Smith remain unreleased, but in 1965 he scored a local hit with the ska ballad "Shirley." After stints with Ken Boothe, Joe White, and Chuck Josephs in the Leaders, and with Slim Smith and Franklyn White in the Uniques, Shirley resumed his solo career, in 1967 meeting television repairman and record salesman Gibbs through a mutual friend. Together they created "Hold Them," which in slowing down the frenetic ska rhythm effectively gave birth to the now-famous rocksteady beat. The single proved a hit across Jamaica, and Shirley went on tour. Clad in a flowing silver cape with an absurdly high collar, his stage presence drew heavily on the histrionics of R&B showman extraordinaire James Brown, complete with tongue-in-cheek vocals that verged on outright cartoonishness.
Throughout his career Shirley collaborated with some of reggae's most influential figures. In late 1967, he teamed with producer Lee "Scratch" Perry for "I Am a Winner," and a year later established his own Public label, recruiting the likes of Peter Tosh and brothers Carlton and Aston Barrett for sessions yielding singles like "Prophecy Fulfilling," "Flying Reggae," and "On Board." Shirley also cut "Get on the Ball" and "Music Field" for then-fledgling producer Bunny Lee, and later baptized King Tubby's new studio via the boxing tribute "Joe Razor." After scoring another major hit in 1969 with his cover of Ben E. King's "Gypsy," Shirley made his New York City debut in 1971, followed a year later by a week-long residency at Harlem's landmark Apollo Theater. Also in 1972, he toured Britain with U-Roy and Max Romeo, promoting himself as "The High Priest of Reggae." Shirley relocated to London in 1973, a move that effectively cut him off from the Kingston reggae community, and his popularity swiftly declined. He nevertheless continued recording and performing live, opening his own record shop and later founding the British Universal Talent Development Association, a non-profit organization to support underprivileged young musicians. In 1993, Shirley also cut a dancehall remake of "Hold Them," retitled "Control Them." He was found dead in his London home on July 17, 2008.
Title: Music Is the Key: The Anothology 1967 to 1975
Artist: Roy Shirley
Genre: Alternative Rock, Reggae, World Music, Latin, Ska
Title: Meet Me At the Corner / Get On the Ball - Single
Artist: The Diplomats, Roy Shirley
Genre: Reggae
Title: Soulful Music / Warming Up the Scene - Single
Artist: The Emotions, Roy Shirley
Genre: Reggae
Collections
Title: Baba Boom! Musically Intensified Festival Songs
Genre: Reggae
Title: 100 Original Reggae Classics
Genre: Reggae
Title: This Is Dub - Rare Jamaican Ska & Reggae
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae Mix Classics
Genre: Reggae
Title: Big People Music, Vol. 3
Genre: Reggae
Title: Rock Steady Hits, Vol. 1 (Platinum Edition)
Genre: Reggae
Title: Essential Rocksteady (Platinum Edition)
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae Cellar Vintage Rock Steady
Genre: Reggae, Alternative
Title: Rocksteady, Ska & Reggae Playlist
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae Jazz
Title: Cool, Cool Rock Steady from Jamaica
Genre: Reggae
Title: Best of Reggae and Rocksteady We Love from the 60s
Genre: Reggae
Title: 40 Classic Revival Songs, Vol. 1 (Platinum Edition)
Genre: Reggae
Title: 40 Classic Revival Volume 2
Genre: Reggae
Title: Magnificent Seven, Vo.l 12
Genre: Reggae
Title: Classic Reggae Vol 4 Platinum Edition
Genre: Reggae
Title: Classic Reggae Revival Vol 9
Genre: Reggae
Title: Rocksteady Fever
Genre: Reggae
Title: Essential Rocksteady, Vol. 2 (Platinum Edition)
Genre: Reggae
Title: Bunny Striker Lee Presents Original Rocksteady
Genre: Reggae
Title: Essential Rocksteady Vol. 2
Genre: Reggae
Title: Rocksteady: Hits the Town
Genre: Reggae
Title: Essential Reggae Vol. 2
Genre: Reggae
Title: Jackpot Presents Original Rocksteady
Genre: Reggae
Title: Nice Time With the Super Stars
Genre: Reggae
Title: Just for You - Reggae Rocksteady Collection
Genre: Reggae
Title: Singers DJ's & Dub Clash, Pt. 1
Genre: Reggae
Title: King Tubbys Rarities
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae Bunny Striker Lee
Genre: Reggae
Title: Jackpot Presents Bunny Striker Lee Story
Genre: Reggae
Title: Foundation Singers - Revival Classics, Vol. 1
Genre: Reggae
Title: Authentic Reggae Vol 4 Platinum Edition
Genre: Reggae
Title: The Ska's the Limit Vol. 2
Genre: Reggae
Title: I Like It Like That Reggae
Genre: Reggae
Title: Sir Collins Music Wheel Chapter 1
Genre: Reggae
Title: Caltone Special
Genre: Reggae
Title: Lee's Gold, Vol. 1
Genre: Reggae
Title: 100 Reggae and Rocksteady Songs
Genre: Reggae
Title: Essential Rocksteady
Genre: Reggae
Title: Rock Steady Hits Volume 1
Genre: Reggae, Alternative
Title: Best of Caltone Rock Steady
Genre: Reggae
Title: The 50 Best Reggae Songs Ever
Genre: Reggae
Title: Caltone Rocksteady
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae Caltone Special
Genre: Reggae
Title: Lees Oldies - 40 Hits
Genre: Reggae
Title: Rocksteady and Ska
Title: Listen Up! Rocksteady
Genre: Reggae
Title: Do the Steady Rock 1966 To 1968
Genre: Reggae
Title: 100 Hits Rock Steady
Genre: Reggae
Title: The Bunny Striker Lee Story
Genre: Reggae
Title: Unearthed Gold of Rocksteady, Vol. 2
Genre: Reggae
Title: 40 Classic Revival Songs, Vol. 1
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae 60s
Title: Reggae King Tubby Rarities
Title: Tighten Up Volume 1 (Deluxe Edition)
Genre: Reggae
Featuring albums
Title: Reggae Anthology - Joe Gibbs: Scorchers From The Early Years (1967-73)
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Reggae, World Music, Latin
Title: Explosive Rock Steady - Joe Gibbs' Amalgamated Label 1967-73
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Rock, Alternative Rock, Reggae, World Music, Latin, Pop, Ska
Title: Let's Do Rocksteady: The Story of Rocksteady 1966-68
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Reggae, World Music, Latin
Title: Best of 50 Years of Jamaica Reggae Collection
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Reggae, Roots Reggae
Title: Essential Reggae Foundation: Early Years (Platinum Edition)
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Reggae
Title: 50 Years of Jamaica Reggae Collection Playlist
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Reggae, Roots Reggae