Previous Page: With the shortage of R&B music from North America Sir Coxsone "The Downbeat" and Duke Reid "The Trojan" in particular suffered from an acute shortage of new music and their supply needed to be replenished. Kingston was full of aspiring Fats Dominos and Little Richards imitators wanting to be like their idols did on a Saturday night via pumping sound systems. The Owen Grays, Wilfred "Jackie" Edwards, Derrick
Morgans and the Laurel Aitkens of Jamaica all ran the gauntlet. Between four sound systems operators; Coxsone, Duke Reid, Prince Buster, and King Edwards along with Australian engineer Graeme Goodall, aided by future Island Records proprietor: Chris Blackwell. Chris Blackwell who would later found the Island Recording Studio proper. the four top sound systems had a need for new R&B sounds in quantities by the bucket load to keep their demanding Kingstonian dance revellers happy. These records would be made especially for their own personal use to be played over their sound systems and would not be available for the general public consumption. Blackwell and Goodall in partnership on the other hand began to make records after Chris Blackwell had acquired six jukeboxes through a business deal. Both Blackwell and Goodall would produce records specially for the jukeboxes. |
