1960s

The duo Keith and Enid had probably the most popular and best remembered recording during the ska era - Worried Over You, which climbed to number one on the Jamaican charts in 1960.

Happy Birthday to one of Jamaican music's most legendary producers, the late Leslie Kong. Kong is perhaps best known for producing some of the finest records in the late-rock steady / early-reggae period in the late 1960s including Bob Marley's very first song "Judge Not" and Jimmy Cliff's first hit "Miss Jamaica".

Prince Buster He is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of ska and rocksteady music. The records he made on the Blue Beat label in the 1960s inspired many reggae and ska artists. He also dominated the local sound system scene rivaling Duke Reid and Sir Coxsone Dodd

In 1960 Derrick Morgan became the only artist ever to fill the places from one to seven on the Jamaican pop chart simultaneously. Among those hits were "Don't Call Me Daddy", "In My Heart", "Be Still", and "Meekly Wait and Murmur Not".

The song 'Oh Carolina', made popular by renowned Jamaican artiste Shaggy, was originally produced by Prince Buster in 1960 for The Folkes Brothers. The record was a landmark single in the development of Jamaican modern music.

Derrick Morgan would receive his biggest hit ever with his 1961 song ‘Housewife’s Choice’. The Leslie Kong production was originally called "You Don't Know", and was later retitled "Housewives’ Choice" by a local DJ. The song featured a bouncing ska riddim, along with a duet by Morgan and Millicent "Patsy" Todd. "Housewives’ Choice" also began the legendary rivalry between Morgan and Prince Buster, who accused Morgan of stealing his ideas.

Vintage Flashback: Byron Lee appeared on the cover of the Jamaican weekly magazine SWING in 1961

Alton Ellis' first song "Muriel" was recorded on a one track machine at Federal Studio (approximately 1961)

Clancy Eccles had a Jamaican hit in 1961 with the early ska song "Freedom". It was one of the first Jamaican songs with socially-oriented lyrics. The song became the first Jamaican hit to be used for political purposes.

Bob Marley recorded his first song in Kingston entitled 'Judge Not' recorded by legendary reggae producer Leslie Kong (Beverley's Record) in 1962

Owen Gray's first hit was "Darling Patricia" produced by Lesley Kong (Beverley Records) in 1962.

Beverley Record's Leslie Kong produced Jimmy Cliff's first hit "Miss Jamaica" in 1962

Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd opened Studio One studio at 13 Brentford Road, one of the most endowed studios in Kingston Jamaica in 1963. Artistes who have recorded at Studio One include: The Skatalites, The Ethiopians, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Burning Spear, Toots & the Maytals, John Holt, Horace Andy, Ken Boothe, Freddie McGregor & Dennis Brown.

Today, January 31st marks the memorial of one of Jamaican music greats, King Stitt. King Stitt was one of the first to create a deejay recording and was dub 'King of Deejays' in 1963! http://jamaicansmusic.com/artists/profile/King_Stitt

Producer Leslie Kong cut Desmond Dekker's debut single "Honor Your Father and Mother" in 1963 which went on to top the Jamaican charts.

Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston with Beverly Kelso. (Four of the members of the 1963 group which also consisted of Junior Braithwaite and Cherry Smith known variously as The Teenagers, The Wailing Rudeboys, The Wailing Wailers and finally The Wailers. By 1966 Braithwaite, Kelso and Smith had left the band, which then consisted of the trio Livingston, Marley and Tosh).

Vintage Poster: Ska-Ta-Rama in 1964 featuring Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson & The Maytals

The Wailers's first single, 'Simmer Down', reached Number 1 in Jamaica's JBC Radio Chart in January 1964.

In 1964 the best selling record in Jamaican music was Carlos Malcolm’s “Bonanza Ska”

Millie Small, best known for her cover 1964 "My Boy Lollipop"