Roy Shirley
Wikimp3 information about the music of Roy Shirley. On our website we have 47 albums and 65 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: Let's Do Rocksteady: The Story of Rocksteady 1966-68
Genre: Reggae
Title: Icons of Reggae
Genre: Reggae
Title: Bunny Lee's Agro Sounds 101 Orange Street
Genre: Reggae
Title: Classic Reggae Revival Vol 4
Genre: Reggae
Title: Rocksteady Songs We Love
Genre: Reggae
Title: Authentic Reggae Vol 1 Platinum Edition
Genre: Reggae
Title: Authentic Reggae Vol 1
Genre: Reggae
Title: Jackpot Presents Authentic Reggae Vol.1
Genre: Reggae
Title: Authentic Reggae Music
Genre: Reggae
Title: Essential Reggae: Foundation Selection
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae and Rocksteady Songs Vol 14
Genre: Reggae
Title: Essential Reggae Foundation Platinum Edition
Genre: Reggae
Title: Jackpot Presents Foundation Singers
Genre: Reggae
Title: Memories Of Reggae Vol 1 Platinum Edition
Genre: Reggae, Alternative
Title: Pure Gold: Foundation Singers
Genre: Reggae
Title: Rocksteady Playlist
Genre: Reggae, Roots Reggae
Title: Classic Reggae Revival Vol 2
Genre: Reggae
Title: Lee's Gold, Vol. 1
Genre: Reggae
Title: Best of Rocksteady
Genre: Reggae
Title: Caltone Rocksteady Playlist
Genre: Reggae, Roots Reggae
Title: Caltone Special
Genre: Reggae
Title: Back in the Days Rocksteady
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae For Big People Vol 13
Genre: Reggae
Title: Anthems and Legends Vol. 1
Genre: Reggae
Title: Original Rocksteady Platinum Edition
Genre: Reggae
Title: Drum Song Riddim
Title: Reggae Cellar Vintage Reggae Platinum Edition
Genre: Reggae
Title: 50 Years of Jamaica Reggae Collection
Genre: Reggae
Title: Original Rock Steady
Genre: Reggae
Title: Best Of Reggae Rocksteady
Genre: Reggae
Title: Oldies - 40 Hits Lee Collection
Genre: Reggae, Roots Reggae
Title: Reggae Greatest Singers Vol 14
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae Greatest Singers Vol 15
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae To The Max Vol 5
Genre: Reggae
Title: Jackpot Presents Jamaican Music On the Go, Vol. 3
Genre: Reggae
Title: Classic Reggae Revival Vol 5
Genre: Reggae
Title: Essential Reggae 1
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae To The Max Vol 6
Genre: Reggae
Title: Jackpot Presents King Tubby Rarities
Genre: Reggae
Title: 40 Jackpot Roots
Genre: Reggae, Roots Reggae
Title: Reggae For Big People Vol 2
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae and Rocksteady Songs Vol 4
Genre: Reggae
Title: Essential Reggae: Early Selection
Genre: Reggae
Title: Best of Reggae Rocksteady (Platinum Edition)
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae and Rocksteady Songs Vol 11
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae and Rocksteady Songs, Vol. 15
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae and Rocksteady Songs Vol 9
Genre: Reggae
Title: Reggae Bar, Vol. 9
Genre: Reggae
Title: Playlist Lees Rocksteady Dance
Genre: Reggae
Title: Jamaica Music On The Go Vol 3 Platinum Edition
Genre: Reggae, Alternative
Title: Reggae For Big People Vol 8
Genre: Reggae
Title: La Boîte Noire De Radio Nova 1966
Genre: Rock, Reggae, Latin, Theatre/Soundtrack, Funk
Title: Reggae Rocksteady Ska Vol. 8
Genre: Tech House, Hip Hop/R&B, Reggae
Title: First Class Rock Steady
Genre: Electronica, Tech House, Hip Hop/R&B, Death Metal, Reggae
Title: 100 Hits Reggae Rocksteady Ska 2017 (CD2)
Genre: Reggae
Title: This Is Trojan Rock Steady
Genre: Reggae
Title: Joe Gibbs Presents The Big Take Over
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