Junior Byles

Kenneth Byles (2 February 1948 – 15 May 2025), also known as "Junior Byles", "Chubby", or "King Chubby", was a foundation conscious roots reggae singer from Jamaica.

Life and career

The Versatiles

Named after his father Kenneth Snr, Kenneth Byles Jr. was born at Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, and grew up in the city's Jonestown, where his father worked as a mechanic, and his mother as a schoolteacher. His family were devoutly religious, and his early musical education came from singing in church. He formed the vocal trio The Versatiles in 1967, along with Dudley Earl and Ben 'Louis' Davis, while also working as a firefighter. Lee "Scratch" Perry, then working as chief engineer at Joe Gibbs' studio, was scouting for talent for Gibbs' new Amalgamated label, and spotted the group while they were auditioning for the 1967 Festival Song Contest with "The Time Has Come". Perry signed the group to the label, but left Gibbs soon after. The Versatiles stayed with Gibbs for two years, before moving to work with Perry, and then to Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label, also recording for other producers such as Laurel Aitken. The group split up in 1970, with Byles still working as a firefighter...

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