Slim Smith

One of the most soulful and accomplished singers of Jamaica's ska, rocksteady, and early reggae eras, Slim Smith found his biggest success from 1965 until his premature death at age 25 in 1973. Although according to various reports stating he had a troubled and unstable life, Smith will best be remembered for his stunning contributions to reggae's vocal tradition. Slim Smith (born Keith Smith) was born in Jamaica in 1948. He got his start in the early '60s with producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, working both as a solo act and as part of the vocal group the Techniques. Thanks to his already powerful and singular voice (his falsetto-capable tenor contained shades of both Sam Cooke and his hero, Curtis Mayfield), Smith soon took over the lead spot in the Techniques. In addition to their many hits on Dodd's Studio One label, the group cut several smashes for Dodd's rival at the time, Duke Reid. Under Reid's watch, they scored with "Queen Majesty," "Traveling Man," and "My Girl." Following his stint with the Techniques, Smith returned to Dodd for more solo work. Recorded during the late ska and early rocksteady periods from 1966-1967, Smith's second round of solo sides included hits like "Rougher Yet," "I'll Never Let Go," "Try Again," and "Mercy Mercy," among many others (several of these Studio One records would later be endlessly versioned during the early dancehall period of 1979-1984). Next, Smith suspended his solo career once again to join the Uniques, a group which featured singers Jimmy Riley and Lloyd Charmers. While they had already cut many impressive sides with other lead vocalists, the group would find their greatest success with Smith, both on the charts and in terms of quality. In addition to a fine session for producer Willie Lowe in 1968, the Uniques cut...