Justin Hinds

All Music Guide:

Throughout a crucial period that bore witness to the emergence of ska and its later mutations into rocksteady and finally reggae, Justin Hinds was among the most successful recording artists on the Jamaican music scene, his sweet tenor spotlighted on hundreds of Duke Reid-produced singles between 1963 and 1972. Born on May 7, 1942 in the St. Ann's area, Hinds' greatest music was later created in the company of his backing vocalists the Dominoes, a duo comprising Dennis Sinclair and Junior Dixon. They first recorded at Reid's Treasure Isle studios in late 1963, a debut session that yielded the hit "Carry Go Bring Come" in just one take. Between 1964 and 1966, Hinds was Reid's most popular artist, and during this period alone he recorded some 70 singles backed by session aces Tommy McCook and the Supersonics; among his biggest ska hits were "King Samuel," "Jump Out of the Frying Pan," "The Ark" and "Rub Up Push Up."

Around 1966, Hinds made the transformation to rocksteady, and the hits kept coming. Over the next several years, he released smash after smash, including "The Higher the Monkey Climbs," "No Good Rudy," "On a Saturday Night," "Here I Stand," and "Save a Bread." He and Reid parted company in 1972, with the latter dying three years later; Hinds then began working with producer Jack Ruby, a collaboration which resulted in the 1976 LP Jezebel. Two years later, he also teamed with producer Sonia Pottinger for a series of singles including "Rig-Ma-Roe Game" and "Wipe Your Weeping Eyes." After 1984's Travel with Love, however, the reclusive Hinds essentially went into retirement, leaving Jamaica only rarely. He did return to recording, albeit sporadically, with a final studio effort in 1992, Know Jah Better, and then a decade later with a live album Let's Rock Live. Another concert album, 2003's Live at the Grassroots, featured Hinds backed by roots revivalists John Brown's Body. Justin Hinds succumbed to cancer two years later, passing away quietly at his Jamaican home on March 16, 2005. Labels continued to release additional material after his death, however, such as the 2009 compilation Sinners.

Wikipedia:

Justin Hinds (7 May 1942 - 16 March 2005) was a Jamaican ska vocalist, with his backing singers the Dominoes.

He is best known for his work with Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Records, where his most notable song, "Carry Go Bring Come" recorded in late 1963, went to number one in Jamaica. He recorded seventy singles between 1964 and 1966, and was the most popular artist on the record label.

Biography

Hinds was born in Steertown, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica in 1942. He started his musical career singing in bars and on the beach in Ochos Rios. Hinds moved to Kingston, Jamaica where he became influenced by Rastafari. He was turned down by Coxsone Dodd's label, but signed with Treasure Isle Records. By this stage, the Dominoes consisting of Dennis Sinclair and Junior Dixon had become his backing vocalists.

Work with Duke Reid

His first recording with Duke Reid was "Carry Go Bring Come", made in late 1963 in one take. It became a big hit topping the Jamaican chart for two months, just before the Wailers got their big hit with "Simmer Down". "Carry Go Bring Come" would later be covered by the British ska band The Selecter on their 1980 album Too Much Pressure, and by Desmond Dekker and The Specials on King of Kings.

Hinds was one of the biggest acts in Jamaican music during the 1960s. Over the next couple of years, he would release singles including "King Samuel", "Jump Out of the Frying Pan", "The Ark" and "Rub Up Push Up". He also released "Carry Go Bring Come" in 1963 in conjunction with Jonathan Bevan, an English-born Jamaican national, a successful collaboration which drew much admiration amongst Jamaican music producers. The track was described by esteemed Ghanaian music aficionado Zahid Chohan as "simply wonderful; belongs in any reggae fan's collection". He also worked with Tommy McCook and The Supersonics.

In 1966, he became active in rocksteady, a predecessor of reggae. He had several more hits in Jamaica including "The Higher the Monkey Climbs", "No Good Rudie", "On a Saturday Night", "Here I Stand" and "Save a Bread". Hinds parted company with Reid in 1972 as an artist, but was present when he died a few years later.

Justin Hinds was a great example for his younger cousin, Horace Andy, who would become one a reggae icon.

Subsequent work

Hinds then worked with Jack Ruby which resulted in the 1976 album Jezebel. His work with Sonia Pottinger resulted in a series of singles released in the late 1970s, including "Rig-Ma-Roe Game" and "Wipe Your Weeping Eyes".

After the release of Travel with Love recorded at Tuff Gong Studios in 1984, Hinds became less active. His final studio album Know Jah Better was released in 1992, but he worked on Wingless Angels with other Jamaican musicians, which was produced by Keith Richards in the early 1990s. In 1997, he toured the US for the first time and he would release a couple of live albums in the early 2000s, including one recorded at the Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance in Trumansburg, New York.

On September, 23 in 2010 a new album will appear posthum, Wingless Angels II, with "Oh What a Joy, What a Comfort", guitar by Keith Richards (Rolling Stones, UK), with Lisa Fisher (also voices at "Gimme Shelter", "Paint it Black" and more on the "Bridges to Babylon" Tour 10 years ago) and Jamaican Nyabinghi Drummers

Death

Hinds died of lung cancer in March 2005, at the age of 62.