The Mighty Diamonds (aka Diamonds) are a Jamaican harmony trio, recording roots reggae with a strong Rastafarian influence. Formed in 1969 in the Trenchtown area of Kingston, the group comprised lead vocalist Donald "Tabby" Shaw, and harmony vocalists Fitzroy "Bunny" Simpson and Lloyd "Judge" Ferguson, and remained together as of 2012. They are best known for their 1976 debut album "Right Time" produced by Joseph Hoo Kim and the 1979 release "Deeper Roots".
It was their mid-1970s work with producer Joseph Hoo Kim that gave them their real breakthrough. "Country Living" and "Hey Girl" were recorded and released by the Channel One label. "Right Time" followed, on Hoo Kim's Well Charge label, cementing their status as one of the top Jamaican groups of the time. Virgin Records signed them and the group's début album, Right Time, was released in 1976, including most of their early Channel One hits. The album was an international success.
The group continued to release albums regularly, adapting successfully to the prevailing digital rhythms of the 1980s and beyond.
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Contents
Links to Peel
Peel gave regular airtime to the Mighty Diamonds down the decades, after including three tracks from their first UK LP on Virgin on 19 May 1976, the historic show when he also first played music from the Ramones debut album.
In 1982, the Jamaican vocal trio's "Pass the Kouchie" was adapted by Peel UK session artists Musical Youth and released as "Pass The Dutchie" for a UK number one hit.[1]
The following decade, the Mighty Diamonds were credited alongside UK artists Pop Will Eat Itself, Gary Clail, Ranking Roger and On U Sound System when a sample of their song “I Need A Roof” was used on a charity cover version of “Gimme Shelter”, played by Peel in April 1993.
On 16 December 2004, Alex Paterson of the Orb included vintage Mighty Diamonds track “Right Time” in his live DJ set from Maida Vale for Radio One’s Keeping It Peel tribute night.
Festive Fifty Entries
- None
Sessions
- None
Other Shows Played
- 1970s
- 19 May 1976: Right Time (LP - Right Time) Virgin
- 19 May 1976: Why Me Black Brother Why (LP - Right Time) Virgin
- 19 May 1976: Shame And Pride (LP - Right Time) Virgin
- 15 June 1978 (& Icebreakers): Two Brothers (LP - Planet Mars Dub) Front Line
- 20 December 1978: Know Your Culture (12” – I Don't Mind What You Are Saying) Channel One
- November 1978 (BFBS) (1): Know Your Culture (12" - I Don't Mind What You Are Saying / Know Your Culture) Channel One
- 17 January 1979: Bodyguard (12” single) Front Line
- 14 July 1979 (BFBS): Bodyguard (12") Front Line
- 17 July 1979: Bodyguard (12” single) Front Line
- 19 July 1979: One Brother Short (12" Single) Frontline
- 30 July 1979: Blackman (LP - Deeper Roots) Front Line
- 20 August 1979: Right Time (LP - Right Time) Virgin
- 1980s
The Mighty Diamonds - Pass The Kouchie
- 08 May 1980: Don't Want War (7") 56 Hope Road
- 07 September 1981: Rock With Me (7") Truths & Rights
- 11 November 1981: Pass The Kouchie (12") Music Works
- 01 April 1982: Illiteracy (album - Reggae Street)
- 15 August 1982 (BFBS): Ram Jam (7") Kings Crown
- 01 November 1982: Lucky (7" - The Last Dance (The Last Waltz)) KR
- 25 April 1983: Kinarky (single) Bad Gong
- 01 May 1983 (BFBS): Kinarky (7") Bad Gong
- 07 September 1983: Skank At The Party (12") Greensleeves
- 05 November 1983 (BFBS): Bad Boy (7") Stars
- 08 November 1983: Bad Boy () Stars
- 15 December 1983: Morgan The Pirate (LP - Leaders Of Black Countrys) Mobiliser
- 26 April 1984: Mary Mack (7") Bad Gong
- 30 September 1985: Possie Are You Ready (7") Sunset
- 02 October 1985: Half Pound (7") Sunset
- 28 January 1986: Back Weh Mafia (LP - Ice On Fire) Virgin
- 26 March 1986: Mr. Chin Slippers (7") Hot Heat Promotions
- 22 March 1988: Never Get Weary (7") Live & Learn
- 20 August 1988 (BFBS): (& Gregory Isaacs): Rough Neck (7") Music Works
- 07 September 1988 (& Gregory Isaacs): Rough Neck (12") Greensleeves
- 1990s
- 09 August 1990: (JP: 'When I was looking through my running orders to select records for these programmes, I discovered that in the spring of 1983 I played this next record five times. I can't remember it at all.')
- Kinarky (7") Bad Gong - 13 April 1991: The Days Of John Wayne
- 15 June 1991: Respect Due (single) Outernational
- 29 June 1991: Respect Due (7") Outernational
- 08 August 1992: Jah Jah Bless The Dreadlocks (7") Attack
- 17 August 1992 (BFBS): Jah Jah Bless The Dreadlocks (7") Trojan
Gimme Shelter-2
- 02 April 1993 (& Pop Will Eat Itself Vs Gary Clail Vs Ranking Roger Vs On U Sound System): Gimme Shelter (v/a album - Gimme Shelter) Food
- 10 April 1993 (BFBS) (& Pop Will Eat Itself Vs Gary Clail Vs Ranking Roger Vs On U Sound System): Gimme Shelter (v/a album - Gimme Shelter) Food
- 28 May 1993 (& Agony Polish): Roof Over My Head (7" - Roof Over My Head) J.R. Productions
- 01 March 1996: Jah Will Work It Out (LP-Stand Up To Your Judgement) Channel One
- 02 November 1996 (& Agony Polish): Roof Over My Head (JR)
- 2000s
- 04 April 2002 (BBC World Service): Fight It Out There (7") Joe Gibbs Music
- 20 December 2000: Trap (Various Artists - King Jammys Experience Vol 1) Live And Love
- 26 February 2002: Fight It Out There' ( )
- 21 March 2002 (Radio Mafia): Fight It Out There (12") Real Wax
- 16 December 2004: Right Time (Alex Paterson DJ set at Keeping It Peel tribute night)
- Other
- Peel Out In The States (Program 11) (& Agony Polish): Roof Over My Head (7") J.R.
See Also
External Links
- Wikipedia
- Official site
- [2] Other
