Ewart Beckford OD (21 September 1942 – 17 February 2021), known by the stage name U-Roy, is a Jamaican vocalist and pioneer of toasting. U-Roy is noted for a melodic style of toasting applied with a highly developed sense of timing.
Beckford's first two singles released on Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label, "Wake the Town" (1970) and "Wear You to the Ball" (1970), were Jamaican hits and established his reputation as one of Jamaica's most popular toasters. Beckford then went on to work with other major producers on the island. 1971 saw the release of Beckford's DJ version of The Paragons' "The Tide Is High".
In 1975, the album Dread in a Babylon was released in the US, Europe and Jamaica by Virgin Records. The success of Dread in a Babylon led to a series of Tony Robinson produced albums: "Natty Rebel" (1976), "Rasta Ambassador "(1977) and "Jah Son of Africa" (1978).
(Read more at Wikipedia.)
Links to Peel[]
Wear You To The Ball - Original
Discussing his selection of a Big Youth single for his Record Box from John Peel’s record collection, DJ and filmmaker Don Letts ranked U-Roy as one of the “mighty three” reggae toasters, alongside Big Youth and I-Roy, seen as influential in the later development of rap in the US.[1]
In 2001, Letts had included early U-Roy hit "Wear You To The Ball" in his "Dread Meets Punk Rockers Uptown" compilation of reggae he had played as DJ at London's Roxy club, where Peel attended gigs in the early punk era.[2] [3]
Peel featured U-Roy regularly down the decades, focusing in later years on classic early material, including tracks with "the Kenny Dalglish of reggae", Lee Perry. He also contended that the artist's track Crashie Sweep contained the earliest use of the phrase drum and bass.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- None
Sessions[]
- None
Other Shows Played[]
- 1970s
- 15 March 1976: unknown
- PM055: Say You (album - Rasta Ambassador) Virgin V 2092 16 December 1977 or 19 December 1977 or 20 December 1977
- 03 January 1978: Small Axe (12") Virgin
- 09 January 1979: Rivers Of Babylon (LP–Jah Son Of Africa) Virgin Front Line
- 09 January 1979: Jah Son Of Africa (LP–Jah Son Of Africa) Virgin Front Line
- 15 January 1979: Love In The Arena
- 17 January 1979: Jah Son Of Africa (LP – Jah Son Of Africa) Front Line
- 18 January 1979: Herbman Skanking (LP – Jah Son Of Africa) Front Line
- 22 January 1979: Running Around Town With Tom, Dick And Harry (LP – Jah Son Of Africa) Front Line
- 1980s
- 30 June 1980: Way Down South (7") Volcano
- 10 February 1981: Puppet On A String (LP-Love Is Not A Gamble) State Line
- 29 December 1982 (BFBS) (with Hopeton Lewis): Drive Her Home (7")
- 23 December 1984 (BFBS): Dread Locks Dread (album - Dread In A Babylon) Virgin
- 10 February 1986: Jah Jah Call You (7") Ujama
- 30 July 1986: I Feel Good (7") Ujama (Peel dedicates record to a fellow he met, whilst doing reggae shopping in Soho, London.)
- 06 August 1986: I Feel Good (7") Ujama
- 13 August 1986: I Feel Good (7") Ujama
- 12 November 1986: Line Up And Come (LP - Line Up And Come) Tappa
- 19 November 1986 (featuring Tapper Zukie): It's About Time (album - Line Up And Come) Tappa
- 31 May 1988: Dynamic Fashion Way (v/a LP - Studio Kinda Cloudy - Keith Hudson And Friends) Trojan
- 27 February 1989: On Top Of A Peak (v/a album U Roy And Friends - With A Flick Of My Musical Wrist (Jamaican Deejay Music 1970-1973)) Trojan
- 22 March 1989: Love I Tender (v/a album - U Roy And Friends - With A Flick Of My Musical Wrist (Jamaican Deejay Music 1970-1973)) Trojan
- 25 March 1989 (BFBS): Love I Tender (v/a album - U Roy And Friends - With A Flick Of My Musical Wrist (Jamaican Deejay Music 1970-1973)) Trojan
- 28 March 1989: On Top Of the Peak (v/a LP - U Roy And Friends - With A Flick Of My Musical Wrist (Jamaican Deejay Music 1970-1973)) Trojan
- 30 November 1989 (& Kotch): Don't Take Away (7") Taxi
- 1990s
- 02 April 1990: Stick Together (v/a with Upsetters album) - Version Like Rain) Trojan
- 16 August 1990: I Feel Good (7") Ujama
- 24 September 1990: The Great Psalms (v/a album - Beyond The Front Line) Front Line
- 12 October 1990 (BFBS): Natty Rebel
- 13 October 1995: Chalice In The Palace (album - Classic Reggae Mastercuts Volume 1) Mastercuts
- 22 October 1995 (BFBS): Chalice In The Palace (v/a CD-Classic Reggae: Definitive Revival Reggae Vol. 1) Mastercuts UK
- 25 November 1998: Everybody Bawling (split 7” with Melodians) Treasure Isle
- October 1999 (FSK): Crashie Sweep (CD - The Lost Album - Right Time Rockers) Sound System
- 17 October 1999 (BFBS): 'Bury The Razor (LP-The Lost Album - Right Time Rockers)' (Sound System)
- 25 October 1999 (BFBS): 'Crashie Sweep (LP-The Lost Album - Right Time Rockers)' (Sound System)
- 12 October 1999: Crashie Sweep (LP-The Lost Album - Right Time Rockers) Sound System
- 2000s
- 16 August 2001: Wear You To The Ball (LP - Rocksteady Soul) Metro
- 18 April 2002 (Radio Mafia): Train From The West (Blood & Fire)
- 20 September 2001 (Radio Eins): Wear You To The Ball (album - Rocksteady Soul)
- 07 November 2002: Small Axe (12") Virgin
- 14 November 2002 (Radio Eins): Small Axe (12") Virgin