Known as “the Godfather of Ska,” Laurel Aitken was Jamaica’s first real recording star. He was a pioneer in many other respects as well: he was one of the first artists ever to release a …

Lloyd Charmers’ career (born Lloyd Tyrell) spans some of the most fertile periods of Jamaica’s musical history. From the late-’50s era of Jamaican shuffle R&B and the subsequent ska boom, to the rocksteady and roots …

Although he has only released one album of new material in the last ten years, and has virtually retired from the live stage after his 1985 tour, Linton Kwesi Johnson remains a towering figure in …

Lucky Dube (born: Ermelo Dube) (pronounced: Doo bay) is one of South Africa’s best selling artists and one of its most outspoken performers.. Although he initially sang in the traditional Zulu mbaganga style, his move …

Borrowing his stage name from the popular TV Western hero of the same name, the Lone Ranger was one of Jamaica’s most influential early dancehall DJs. He helped pioneer a newly rhythmic, on-the-beat rhyming style …

A little known figure outside of reggae’s deep roots circles, Little Roy contributed a handful of undeniable classics to the genre during the 1970s: populace-pleasing hits that were also vehicles for his Rastafari-inspired message. Born …

Despite being an energetic, convincing, and very soulful vocalist, Larry Marshall is not well known except among the reggae faithful. He’s both a superb romantic balladeer and excellent message and roots vocalist. Marshall’s single “Nanny …

Some call him a genius, others claim he’s certifiably insane, a madman. Truth is, he’s both, but more importantly, Lee Perry is a towering figure in reggae — a producer, mixer, and songwriter who, along …

A master of love songs and roots material, Leroy Smart has been on the reggae scene since the early ’70s. He was raised in Kingston’s Alpha Catholic Boys Home and began recording in the early …

With the release of Blood and Fire’s Ride on Dreadlocks and the reissues of his catalog of classic roots material, Linval Thompson’s reputation as one of the finest reggae singers from the roots-renaissance was rightfully …